PMD: The Ebonor Edda, Book 1: Mantle of Bones
by 16Doobop13
Summary: On her eighteenth birthday, princess Ellevhis, a piplup, finally convinces her parents to let her form a mercenary band, in order to become a positive figure in the public eye. Shortly after, she and her new partner, Harmon, a hawlucha, stumble upon a sinister secret society known as Whiteskull, and are dragged into a global conflict concerning the fate of the world of Ebonor.
1. Ellevhis Rivelin: Origin

_**This PMD Story is heavily inspired by various tabletop rpgs, and as such, like my other series of PMD fics, practically everything is decided by both logic and the rolling of a 20-sided die. This story is an SYOC, and while the fic is rated T, know that it is entirely possible that your OC submission may die.**_

 _ **OCs are always welcome. I prefer you submit them via PM. OCs can be teammates, minor villains (i've got major ones covered), their own mercenary band(This story uses mercenary bands, so both good and bad pokemon go into this profession) or simple fluff like shopkeepers or priests to a legendary or whatever. Here are the rules:**_

 _ **1: No mary sue OCs.**_

 _ **2: No humans turned pokemon or pokemon from some other world.**_

 _ **3: No legendary pokemon, delta species, permanent megas, or ultra beasts.**_

 _ **4: No royal family pokemon of any of the eighteen nations. If you want your pokemon to be noble, they can be an earl or a duke or a count or a warlord of some sort.**_

 _ **5: Pokemon are most often named so that the first letter corresponds to the same first letter of their desired final evolution(For instance, Ellevhis, the piplup main character, is named such as her final evolution is an empoleon)**_

 _ **6: Fill out this sheet.**_

 _ **OC Name (First and Last):**_

 _ **OC Species, Sex(Genderless pokemon such as voltorb should pick one as well), Age(Not Level, they don't exist in this world):**_

 _ **OC Special Ability(Blaze, Torrent, Overgrow, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Desired Role(Teammate, Different Mercenary Band, Minor Villain, Shopkeep, etc.):**_

 _ **Move 1(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 2(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 3(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 4(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 5(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **Move 6(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **OC Profession(What their training entails. For instance, Ellevhis is a noble)**_

 _ **OC Personality(Include the following: 1 or 2 personality traits, 1 ideal, 1 bond to the outside world, and 1 character flaw):**_

 _ **OC Alignment(Lawful Good, Neutral Evil, Chaotic Neutral, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Backstory(A small paragraph should suffice):**_

 _ **Other/Anything Else Doobop Should Know:**_

 _ **And that's it. I'll show you Ellevhis's sheet after the chapter so you can see a sample.**_

 _ **For now though, On to the main story!**_

* * *

 _The lands and seas of Ebonor are divided into eighteen nations, each dominated by a different type of pokemon. Starting due north, towards the top of the world, are the Ice Plains of Alaworth. As the name suggests, ice types are plentiful. Just south of these plains is the nation of Echoba, ruled primarily by electric types. To the east of Echoba lies the nearly uninhabitable swamps of Canterlan, where poison types rule, and the once great rock-type empire now known as The Gallin Lands, named after their first ruler. Across the Sea of Silk, further east, lies Yarna Reef, home of the bug types, whose small island nation acts as a buffer before reaching the ghost type kingdom Mar Udrath, and its southern, steel type neighbor, the nation of Goldenvalley. Further south, across the Orange Ocean, lies the fire type territories of Broil Bay, which rest just north of the ground type empire that is the Iyanrin Desert. Hidden away, south of the Sands of Time, is the Roaring Cay, ruled by the dragons in the southeast corner of the world, while to the immediate west of the Iyanrin Desert is the Stratos Sea, where the flying types have established their kingdoms on the edges of each of the three largest continents. South of this sea and its kingdoms are the Lands of Fortune, ruled by the fairy types, and named after their most ancient structure, Fortune Tower. West of the Stratos Kingdoms is the grass type empire of Nishiki, filled with small peaceful forests and large expansive fields. In the southwest of the empire, on a clear day, one has a view of the psychic type islet of Daywich Haven, the southwesternmost nation of Ebonor. North of Nishiki is the normal type kingdom of Braigia, and north of them, the Osma Isles, ruled by water types, make the northwesternmost nation. Across the Crabhammer Channel, to the east of the Isles, lies the fighting type nation of Evokas, and to its north, bordering both Evokas and Alaworth, is the land of the dark types, Kulbururd. These nations make up the world of Ebonor, where our story takes place._

 _It begins in Osma, in the hands of a young princess..._

* * *

 **Osma Isles: Year 211, 1st of First Month**

Ellevhis had grown accustomed to evading her education as the sole princess of Osma.

The young piplup never minded such learning, if she was being honest with herself, but found the whole ordeal tedious and unnecessary. Her parents were still young, and both seasoned fighters, who kept each other in constant good health, so as far as Ellevhis was concerned, her reign of ruling over the Osma Isles was a few decades off at the very least.

Her focus instead rested on the adventurous stories the royal mercenary bands would tell her when they were back in the castle in between the missions her father oft sent them on.

"I'll be a mercenary too, when I'm old enough!" She had exclaimed once at dinner during her childhood, to the disgust of her mother, a proper royal lady, and to the dismay of her father, whom she'd caught on more than one occasion sending guards to trail her even within the walls of Castle Osma. One of the castle's maidservants, a starmie, Sinalori, had also once been a mercenary, and whenever time allowed, and Ellevhis could think up an excuse, she and Sina would meet in secret and train with one another.

Ellevhis had at one point asked Sinalori why she'd become a mercenary and why she'd decided to stop and become a maidservant instead.

The starmie's red jewel glew to illuminate the scars that circled around the yellow ring in the center of her body.

"I was wounded fairly badly, your Grace" She answered with nostalgia in her tone. "And while being a mercenary was a great way to see the world and help build a small name for myself, the life of a maidservant is much safer for both my children's health as well as my own."

"Do you think I could be a mercenary?" Ellevhis had wondered a couple years later, during her tween years, when puberty was starting to hit her.

"I think everyone has it in them to be a mercenary." Sinalori explained to her secret pupil. "You, however, your Grace, have a higher and more important job ahead of you. As the royal heir to the Waterspout Throne, you must learn to lead your people in a way that makes them love you. There's also our neighbors to the East to think about. The crown prince to the royal family of Evokas is around your own age, and given our recent treaties with them after the War of the Drained Sea, the public of both our kingdoms highly expects the two of you wed."

Ellevhis, having been groomed since birth to take a royal husband of her parent's choosing someday, did not find the idea of the marriage distressing, instead, she often used it as a way to push her own goals further.

"Well, perhaps that prince will _also_ want to travel and see the world as a mercenary." She had huffed once, getting all present at the dinner table to laugh, less out of joy, and more out of absurdity.

After all, Ellevhis was odd among nobles. What prince or princess would willingly endanger their lives for the sake of seeing a world overrun by the corruption of the common pokemon?

Ellevhis's strongest argument was the one she made on her eighteenth birthday. She, as a princess, had done nothing to earn her subjects' support. If she wasn't seen positively in the eyes of her subjects, how could she hope to have their respect when she came into power as ruler?

"The common pokemon don't want a stuffy spoiled girl to tell them how to live their lives, they want a hero they'd be willing to follow no matter how tough things got! A mercenary experience will allow me to learn how such a hero might act and behave. I may even become one!"

Ellevhis was eighteen, and by all rights was her own person. If she so desired, she could go against her parents' wishes and form a band of mercenaries all her own, but while Ellevhis might have been pushy, she was not about to lie to her parents, even if they disapproved.

"You are set to be married off to the crown prince of Evokas in five years time." Her father finally revealed to her after a long silence. "Until that moment, since you are an adult and should be known by your people, you may travel our own kingdom at your leisure, as a mercenary if you so prefer. You are to remain within our borders, and must return home if we so command it without question."

Ellevhis didn't like the ultimatum. She feared that they would call her home before she had a chance to prove herself. She had wished Sinalori was still at the castle to side with her, but the starmie maidservant had left some year and a half prior, having been "expecting" another bunch of children, and desiring to be a housewife for what was sure to be double digits of offspring while her husband earned ends meat.

"I will accept on the condition that I not be called home without an immediate and adequate reason."

She could hear her father's tongue click. She'd managed to see through his trap. Reluctantly, he formally released his daughter out into the world, or rather, the Osma Isles.

The first stop of Ellevhis on her new adventure was the nearest IMH, or International Mercenary Hostel. These safe houses were as ancient as the profession itself, and functioned as inns and offices for mercenaries of all shapes, sizes, and nationalities. Ellevhis plopped the poke necessary to form a mercenary band on the counter.

The azumarill at the counter took the coinage, made sure it was all correct, and looked back at Ellevhis. He recognized her, of course, but part of the charter of such hostels was to treat all patrons with the same neutrality. He stopped himself from greeting her with "Your Grace" and instead broke the bad news.

"No partner, no team. Sorry."

"I need a badge if I'm ever going to explore the isles" Ellevhis gave a pouting sigh. "Is there a simple way to go about finding a partner quickly?"

"Perhaps another wandering soul in the hostel is looking to form a team of their own" The azumarill shrugged as his ears began to lag downwards.

"Um-..." A hawlucha had just wandered in through the doors. "Um...I, uh...don't mind."

Ellevhis had never seen this pokemon before in her life. He certainly didn't look like mercenary material. "I'm, um...Harmon." He held a hand out for her to shake.

"Ah, I'm Ellevhis. Charmed. Are you, foreign, by chance, Harmon?" Ellevhis asked as she shook his hand.

"Yeah, my family moves around a lot" Harmon gave a nervous laugh. "I, uh, don't know quite where they are anymore. I just saw the IMH and thought I might find them if I become a mercenary."

"So you have no training formally in this field is what you're telling me." Ellevhis crossed her small blue arms and furrowed her beak into a disappointed frown.

"N-no, I have training!" Harmon rose his hands in the air. "Like I said, my family moves around a lot, so we have to be prepared for bandits and mystery dungeons and all of the other things too! I just...I'm not…" He scratched the feathers on his head as he tried to think of how to say what he wanted to say.

"I'm not brave enough to face that kind of trouble on my own, and I have no money to ask for an official mission, so my best hope of achieving my goal is to become a new mercenary's partner."

"Harmon…" The azumarill couldn't help but mention. "You...are aware of whom you're speaking with, aren't you?"

Harmon gave Ellevhis a look that lasted for a minute.

She could feel her face get a little red as she met his stare.

He turned back to the azumarill. "An upper-class piplup?"

Ellevhis smiled with a bit of a laugh finding its way passed her beak.

"Well, since I am in the market for a partner, and beggars shouldn't be picky, I suppose this hawlucha shall do." Ellevhis turned to the azumarill at the counter again.

"Of course, Y-...of course miss." The azumarill scribbled some notes down in a ledger. "The two of you should now decide on a name for the mercenary band, and your iron rank mercenary tags will be ready for you momentarily.

"Team Rainsong" Ellevhis immediately answered. "You don't mind, do you, Harmon?"

"A-any name is fine, I guess." Harmon wasn't expecting to be asked for his opinion. "It's your team, after all."

After a short while, the azumarill was back and handed both Ellevhis and Harmon an iron dog each with their name on one side and the name "Rainsong" on the other.

"You can now take missions, but be sure to only go for quests that sound around your rank. You are Iron, the lowest rank a mercenary band can be in this world. As the hostels gain news of your successful exploits, you will rise in rank to Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold, etc. The highest rank you can achieve while taking missions from hostels is Platinum, but if you are skilled and famous enough, a king or queen or emperor or empress might just ask your team to become their private mercenaries. Such teams are ranked as Royal by the hostels, and while they only take missions directly from whichever ruler employed them, they are still welcome to patronize the hostels as an inn. With that, I wish you both luck in your adventures as mercenaries."

Ellevhis and Harmon thanked the azumarill before heading over to look at missions posted on the bulletin.

"Hm…" Harmon pondered as he looked over the right side of the board. "A lot of these seem to involve some pretty big trouble. Getting lost deep in dungeons over 50 floors deep, dangerous cult activities, and I'm pretty sure there's an anonymous mission asking a band to assassinate the Nishiki Emperor. Needless to say, none of them seem Iron rank."

"It doesn't matter. I found the mission we're starting with." Ellevhis ripped a flyer of the board and lay it down on a nearby table as Harmon joined her.

"Help" He read aloud. "My kids have been kidnapped and taken to Rainy Covert! I'm too afraid to go pay ransom myself, so could you go pay for me? Money enclosed. Sinalori-Starmie."

Harmon slammed his hand down on the table. "This is NOT an Iron Rank mission! This is Bronze at the lowest!"

"It doesn't matter, Harmon!" Ellevhis stood up on the stool she had been sitting at. "I know that Starmie! She loves her kids so much and if anything happened to them…Please! They're in trouble and they need our help!"

Harmon's fist clenched and he visibly began to shake, but he removed his hand from the table.

"Fine. We'll head to Rainy Covert, and pay this kidnapper their ransom money. Only _after_ we make sure the kids are truly safe."

"Thank you." Ellevhis sighed with a smile. "Rainy Covert, if my memory is correct, lies not too far to the west of town. Follow me!"

* * *

 _ **AN: And we're off!**_

 _ **As promised, here's a sample of an OC submission form using Ellevhis herself**_

 _ **OC Name (First and Last): Ellevhis Ronesartoh**_

 _ **OC Species, Sex(Genderless pokemon such as voltorb should pick one as well), Age(Not Level, they don't exist in this world): Piplup, Female, 18**_

 _ **OC Special Ability(Blaze, Torrent, Overgrow, etc.): Defiant**_

 _ **OC Desired Role(Teammate, Different Mercenary Band, Minor Villain, Shopkeep, etc.): Team Rainsong Leader**_

 _ **Move 1(Natural Movepool): Bide**_

 _ **Move 2(Natural Movepool): Drill Peck**_

 _ **Move 3(Natural Movepool): Brine**_

 _ **Move 4(Natural Movepool): Mist**_

 _ **Move 5(Egg Move or TM Move): Waterfall**_

 _ **Move 6(Egg Move or TM Move): Brick Break**_

 _ **OC Profession(What their training entails. For instance, Ellevhis is a noble): Noble(Princess of Osma Isles)**_

 _ **OC Personality(Include the following: 1 or 2 personality traits, 1 ideal, 1 bond to the outside world, and 1 character flaw):**_

 _ **Traits: (1)No one could doubt by looking at my regal bearing that I am a cut above the unwashed masses. (2)I take great pains to always look my best and follow the latest fashions.**_

 _ **Ideal: Responsibility. It is my duty to respect the authority of those above me, just as those below me must respect mine.**_

 _ **Bond: My house's alliance with another noble family must be sustained at all costs.**_

 _ **Flaw: In fact, the world does revolve around me.**_

 _ **OC Alignment: Lawful Good**_

 _ **OC Backstory(A small paragraph should suffice): See 1st Half of Chapter**_

 _ **Other/Anything Else Doobop Should Know: I already know everything about my own characters.**_

* * *

 _ **And once again, here's a blank sheet (Which will be posted on my profile as well):**_

 _ **OC Name (First and Last):**_

 _ **OC Species, Sex(Genderless pokemon such as voltorb should pick one as well), Age(Not Level, they don't exist in this world):**_

 _ **OC Special Ability(Blaze, Torrent, Overgrow, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Desired Role(Teammate, Different Mercenary Band, Minor Villain, Shopkeep, etc.):**_

 _ **Move 1(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 2(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 3(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 4(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 5(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **Move 6(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **OC Profession(What their training entails. For instance, Ellevhis is a noble)**_

 _ **OC Personality(Include the following: 1 or 2 personality traits, 1 ideal, 1 bond to the outside world, and 1 character flaw):**_

 _ **OC Alignment(Lawful Good, Neutral Evil, Chaotic Neutral, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Backstory(A small paragraph should suffice):**_

 _ **Other/Anything Else Doobop Should Know:**_

* * *

 _ **That's all for now! Thanks for reading ^ . ^!**_


	2. Rainsong's First Mission Begins

_Rainy Covert, a small ways north of the Osma Capital of Rivelina, is a nine floor mystery dungeon, often inhabited by weak bandits too scared of the law to attack the city, or those on the lamb, using the forest as a temporary shelter before embarking further into the wilderness. The winds from the waters to the west bring with them frequent rain, which coallesses on the ground as murky puddles, shrouded by various plants that thrive of the marshy climate. Despite the mystery dungeon being close to the capital, the law leaves it well enough alone, since rarely do the denizens of the covert bother anyone in the city._

* * *

 **Osma Isles: Year 211, 1st of First Month, Rainy Covert (9F Mystery Dungeon)**

 **1F**

Ellevhis walked proudly ahead of Harmon as the two entered the mystery dungeon known as Rainy Covert. "I still think this is a bad idea" He grumbled as she carefully tiptoed through the murky water.

"Ew...ew...ew…"

Neither seemed to be enjoying their current situation, which was why their moods were only made worse when vines shot up from the murky puddles in an attempt to grab and pull the two to the ground. Harmon struggled against the thistle-like appendage but still fell to the ground on his back. Ellevhis, taken completely by surprise, found herself face-first in the marsh.

"Grossgrossgrossgrossgrossgross-" she muttered over and over as the two struggled free and shook themselves off. She quickly turned to Harmon. "My down isn't ruined is it?"

Harmon, who for his part looked like a lower class bum Ellevhis would sometimes see behind taverns in town, shrugged at the question. "It doesn't matter right now. You want to pay your friend's ransom for her children right? We should focus on-"

"And we'll be confronting our first criminal. There is no way on Ebonor that I'm going to look like _this_ -" She motioned to both herself and Harmon "For my mercenary debut! Father will call me back home faster than a Quick Attack."

"It's just a waterclaw plant, Ellevhis!" Harmon laughed. "They're all over in marshy areas like this. Everyone trips in them all the time. We couldn't see them through the murky water this time. Let's just keep going."

"Fine." Ellevhis huffed as she still continued to pick at particularly filthy feathers on her body. "I'll lead us further in. Speaking of…" She had just started to notice the way the covert had been set up on this floor of the dungeon. "This whole area looks like a sort of audience chamber, don't you agree?"

"If it's a mystery dungeon, it's probably for greeting outlaws who wander in, seeking shelter." Harmon gave his two poke on the matter.

* * *

 **2F**

As a much cleaner Ellevhis lead a still damp and dirty Harmon up to the next floor, the audience chamber opened up into a long room full with all manner of taxidermied pokemon along the forest thickets. Ellevhis gasped in horror as she saw young wingull, or wurmple, or pichu, all mounted as though they were nothing but trophies for whatever bandits or ne'er-do-wells had placed them there.

"May Manaphy guide us…" She prayed as Harmon began poking around the stuffed pokemon.

"What on Ebonor do you think you're doing?!" She squawked as she stopped him from investigating any further. "These were once living, breathing, pokemon! You shouldn't disturb their bodies like some vagrant!"  
"S-sorry." Harmon rose his hands in a surrendering gesture as he backed away. "I was just wondering how something like this could even be accomplished. Besides, I find it odd…don't you?"

"Of course I find this area odd! More like unacceptable actually!"

"That's not what I mean." Harmon shook his head as the two continued onwards, this time careful to avoid any waterclaw plants. "It's odd that we haven't run into any sort of bandit or savage pokemon."

"Now that you mention it, that _is_ strange." Ellevhis agreed. "The knights are never sent here since Rivelina doesn't get much trouble from them, so there ought to be plenty of bandits or savage pokemon."

Harmon clicked his tongue but when Ellevhis asked, he refused to share his thoughts on the matter. Still, it was clear to her that an idea had wormed its way into his head.

"Oh shit, sis!" As if on cue, a couple of budew rounded the thicket. "There's more of them!"

"My partner and I are alone, I assure you." Ellevhis stepped forwards. "What are you on about? Speak."

"N-no way!" The second budew shook her head. "With those dog tags, you're mercenaries! You'll just hand us over to the guards!"  
"I see." Ellevhis took a breath. "You're lawbreakers. In that case, you are correct. Harmon and I will turn you into the nearest guard. What was your crime?"

"Ellevhis, they're not going to admit to whatever crime they committed." Harmon shook his head. "And don't we have somewhere to be?"

"It's fine." Ellevhis said. "We'll just deal out a swift punishment for their crime and be on our way!"

Harmon rolled his eyes. "Fine" He sighed as he rushed the male budew with an Aerial Ace that quickly felled the young criminal. "Sorry about this, you two. Not sure what's up her butt."

Ellevhis followed Harmon's lead and rocketed towards the remaining budew with a Drill Peck, drilling right through her chest, leaving her incapacitated body on the ground, near a twitching waterclaw plant.

"We'll let the gods, decide your fate." Ellevhis determined before moving forwards, a somewhat confused Harmon trailing close behind her.

* * *

 **3F**

"Well...this isn't what I expected to encounter when we entered the dungeon." Ellevhis admitted to Harmon, who nodded in agreement as the two of them stared down a large barrier of vines blocking the way forward, with what looked like iron blades hidden among the foliage.

"This is incredibly dangerous." Harmon correctly noted. "We can't cut this down without getting severely hurt. We'll have to finesse our way past it."

"I'm sorry, but have you _met_ me?" Ellevhis motioned to herself. "I'm not about to finesse my way past anything. I'm not even about to _try_ to finesse my way past anything. Too risky, I might ruin my down beyond repair if one of those blades gets me!"

"I suppose we _could_ always try an egg or TM move." Harmon suggested. "I happen to know Steel Wing, but if I use it here, that's the only time during this dungeon I'll be able to make use of either that or my Focus Blast move."

"Neither my Waterfall nor my Brick Break could possibly bring this wall of vines and blades down." Ellevhis estimated. "A well placed Steel Wing or a powerful Focus Blast might but…I'm hesitant to have you wast them here."

"You know who could have really helped us here?" Harmon brought up. "Those budew from earlier."

"Like bandits would help us." Ellevhis rolled her eyes. "Father and Mother do all they can for our people, but still those heartless mongrels think only of themselves and hurt the community for it."

"You certainly sound entitled." Harmon crossed his arms. "You don't know the circumstances behind their residency. There's a pretty big poverty problem on the southern isle. I've seen it myself. Perhaps they felt abandoned and trekked to the capital, only to be turned away, since by that point anyone without these mercenary dog tags looks like a bandit."

"We can argue for and against the laws and customs of my nation another time, Harmon. For now, we need a course of action to follow. Out of your Steel Wing and your Focus Blast, which has the greater chance to cut down this barrier?"

"The Steel Wing." Harmon responded. "However, a powerful enough Focus Blast could shatter the blades and remove the danger."

"In that case, Steel Wing this obstacle down!" Ellevhis pointed.

Harmon, as the partner pokemon, did as he was told, just barely managing to slice through the barrier of blades and vines, so that both he and Ellevhis could continue to the next floor, unimpeded.

* * *

 **4F**

It was clear to both Ellevhis and Harmon as they walked through the fourth floor that the whole area was dedicated to torturing victims that might have wandered into the dungeon. "Okay…" Harmon admitted. "I'm starting to see your point of view towards these bandits."

"Those budew were trying to trick us, Harmon. I've seen it all the time, the fake act of pleading for help or pretending to be scared. It's almost always a trap."

"Hm." Harmon grunted. "Unfortunate that there are pokemon who have to live like this."

"I agree." Ellevhis looked up at the sun through the canopy of the forest. It was beginning to set.

"I want to be a mercenary to help make both the world and my nation a better place for pokemon to get along and help each other. Then, when in five years, I have to go off to Evokas, I'll be able to use what I learn on these adventures to do the same from a position of actual influence."

"Evokas, eh?" Harmon rested his hands behind his head as the two continued to walk. "It's a pretty nice place. Mercenaries and your upper-class code of honor are really loved over there. Bet you'll fit right in. To bad though, the crown prince is already engaged, so-"

"You must have some slowpoke in your DNA somehow." Ellevhis sighed. "Who on Ebonor do you think you're talking to right now?"  
"Some upper-class piplup." Harmon answered again. "Can't rule this nation while King Endillion's in charge, and no way he's going anywhere any time soon, so you're hoping to be married off to some prince, but like I said earlier, the crown prince of Evokas is already engaged to Endillion's daughter. No way he'd let her go out and be a mercenary now. She'd get herself killed."

Ellevhis's jaw dropped.

"Bwahahahahaha! Oh man, a _homeless_ hawlucha thinking that a noble can't take care of themselves. I bet you only got by on the goodwill of your kingdom and the ones you visited. You nearly fell for those budew's trap earlier too!"

"I think you were the one who said we could argue later not too long ago, right?" Harmon decided to back up out of the war of words which was no longer in his favor.

"An upper-class piplup, eh?" A corphish and a wurmple both slinked onto the scene. "Imagine the reward money we can get for her! We'll be like kings!"

"Wait a minute." Ellevhis rose a brow. "Wurmple are a common sight around here, but corphish are unheard of. Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

"I'm on the lamb, obviously, missy." The corphish snapped his claws. "Now, if you'll do me and my new friend here the honor of staying still while he ties you up-"

The wurmple shot a String Shot toward Ellevhis, which she just barely managed to duck under and avoid coming into contact with.

"Guess I shouldn't have telegraphed that attack so obviously…" The corphish chided himself. "Oh well."

Harmon, who was already on guard, quickly jumped out of the way of the Bubblebeam that was shot at him.

"Tch, I guess you were paying attention the whole time, huh?"

"Ellevhis!" Harmon looked towards his leader. "Which one should I go for?"

"The corphish!" She announced. "I'll take care of the wurmple and join you afterwards if you still need help!"

"Got it!" Harmon announced as he jumped into the air and descended foot first towards the corphish, his High Jump Kick managing to directly bash into one of the enemy's claws.

Ellevhis, for her part, charged the wurmple with a Drill Peck, ready to be done with the petty criminal, and while she very clearly drew blood from the vagrant, still he stood in her way.

"Heh." The wurmple laughed. "Now you're nice and close. Time to cocoon you, for real!"

As he spat out another String Shot, Ellevhis quickly went prone to avoid being caught.

"Just catch her already!" The corphish shouted at his partner as he bombarded Harmon with a bubblebeam that the hawlucha simply couldn't avoid, wincing in pain as each bubble popped along his body.

"Hrah!" Harmon launched himself in a Flying Press, and the corphish moved out of the way, leaving the hawlucha to belly flop into the water. "Oww…"

"Harmon!" Ellevhis called as she used the splashing water to pelt the wurmple with a Brine attack, leaving him incapacitated on the ground. "Get up and fight, Harmon!"

"He's not going to be able to get up in a little bit." The corphish grinned as he brought his wounded claw down toward's Harmon, but instead of making contact with the hawlucha, the corphish found himself tossed onto his back as he was pulled to the ground by a nearby waterclaw plant.

"How the tables have turned…" Harmon grinned as he stood up, over the corphish. "And since you'll have trouble getting free of that…" Harmon slit an Aerial Ace across the corphish's throat.

"You intended to kill me and sell my leader for poke. No peace awaits your afterlife."

Ellevhis rushed up to her partner. "Harmon, are you wounded in any serious way? Do we need to camp here for the night?"

"We can keep going." Harmon laughed. "I've dealt with worse than his kind before."

* * *

 **5F**

The fifth floor was what appeared to be some sort of stable for keeping savage pokemon.

"It's so messy and filthy and disgustingly stinky on this floor." Ellevhis kept her flippers to her beak. "How do you stand it, Harmon?"

She turned to see Harmon covering his own beak.

"You think _this_ is a common occurrence? It smells like death in here!"

"You wouldn't be wrong…" Ellevhis noticed as the pair got close enough to the various pens scattered throughout the floor. In each one was a different species of pokemon, all deceased.

"They look well fed, at least." Harmon observed. "Who or whatever did this killed them intentionally, and not through neglect. We don't even know if these poor pokemon were savage for real, or just missing children."

"No, these pokemon were savage." Ellevhis corrected her partner. "I doubt a kidnapper would give their victims enough energy to fight back if they wanted to."

"You have a point." Harmon agreed. "But it does raise the question of who did this. From the smell, it can't have been too long."

"So!" A poochyena walked by, as he led an alola form sandshrew, clearly a savage pokemon, behind him. "She brought allies after all."

"You are not the first to group us with whomever you speak of." Ellevhis replied. "But I take it, stranger, that you are not from around here. Was it your company who did this damage?"

"About half-and-half?" The poochyena laughed. "I don't care what you say, no way she didn't find some mercenaries to back her up. Guess little Snowshrew here and I have to kill you lot now."

Harmon and Ellevhis rolled their eyes and prepared to fight.

"Get rid of the savage sandshrew!" Ellevhis ordered Harmon, who, with a nod, leapt into the air and came careening down, foot first towards the ice/steel type, only for it to roll out of the way, sending the hawlucha skidding across the muddy ground. In response, the sandshrew fired a Swift attack at her aggressors, pricking both Harmon and Ellevhis with rather blunt star-like projectiles.

The poochyena was not as interested in the hawlucha on the ground as he was in Ellevhis. "What's a pretty thing like you doing in a mystery dungeon?" He wondered as he charged at her with a Bite which she expertly avoided as she managed to fire off a Brine, point blank, into her assailant's back.

"I'm here for reasons that don't concern a crook like you." Ellevhis responded to the incapacitated poochyena on the dungeon floor. "Harmon?" She called out as he managed to get back on his bruised feet.

"I can still fight!" He exclaimed as he rushed at the sandshrew with another High Jump Kick, hitting with so much force that he punted the pokemon out of the covert's canopy.

"You sure can." Ellevhis managed a small giggle as the pair continued on their way.

* * *

 **6F**

Ellevhis and Harmon arrived to the floor's main room just in time to see a swablu slam a corphish into the wall with a Dragon Pulse attack. The corphish was no longer among the living.

"Harmon, be on guard." Ellevhis warned as the two of them walked forwards. "Swablu!" She called out. "In the name of King Endillion, I demand you explain what we just witnessed!"

"Oh~" The swablu sang as she turned to face Ellevhis and Harmon. "Don't worry about me. I'm just killing criminals."

"Vigilantism is illegal here in Osma. Not sure how they do it where you're from, but in our nation only those appointed to the guard, the military, or international mercenaries are allowed license to kill."

"Hm~" The swablu smiled. "I believe you're forgetting something~"

She began to flutter closer to Harmon. "I'm sure you know _all_ about it, don't you handsome?"

"Um…" Harmon began to nervously back away from the swablu. "I guess, maybe, diplomatic immunity?"

"That's right~!" The swablu clapped her cotton wings and winked at Harmon. "Good job, muscles! _I_ am one of the lucky few to benefit from such an immunity. I am Arzira Jilvyre. If you don't mind honeys, it's getting late, so if you could leave me be while I set up camp for the night…"

She looked at Harmon. "Especially you, young man. A lady needs her privacy."

"Wait a minute." Ellevhis stopped an increasingly more anxious Harmon from moving forwards. "Are you the _she_ those vagrants trying to kidnap me were talking about earlier?"

Arzira had, until hearing that information, largely ignored Ellevhis, but her tune soon changed.

"Did you say these pokemon were trying to kidnap you?" She asked seriously. "And I mean that, kidnap, not kill?"

"Y-yeah?" Ellevhis rose a brow as she looked at Harmon who gave a shrug in response. He knew the least about what was going on of the three of them.

"In that case, whatever mission you're on right now, new mercenaries, mind if I add my own to double you up?" Arzira batted her eyes.

"It won't take long or take us anywhere out of the way will it?" Ellevhis crossed her flippers.

"I'm willing to bet you're meeting with someone who has _already_ kidnapped certain children, correct? To pay a ransom? I want to tag along. After all, I've been tracking them down for quite a while."

"Why are you tracking this kidnapper?" Harmon wondered. "You look around our age. No way did you have a kid."  
"Oh, no, of course not!" Arzira laughed. "They kidnapped _me_ once upon a time. I just want to, well, _return_ the favor~."

* * *

 _ **AN: Interested? Want to submit and OC? Here's the form! (Also on profile)**_

 _ **OC Name (First and Last):**_

 _ **OC Species, Sex(Genderless pokemon such as voltorb should pick one as well), Age(Not Level, they don't exist in this world):**_

 _ **OC Special Ability(Blaze, Torrent, Overgrow, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Desired Role(Teammate, Different Mercenary Band, Minor Villain, Shopkeep, etc.):**_

 _ **Move 1(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 2(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 3(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 4(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 5(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **Move 6(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **OC Profession(What their training entails. For instance, Ellevhis is a noble)**_

 _ **OC Personality(Include the following: 1 or 2 personality traits, 1 ideal, 1 bond to the outside world, and 1 character flaw):**_

 _ **OC Alignment(Lawful Good, Neutral Evil, Chaotic Neutral, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Backstory(A small paragraph should suffice):**_

 _ **Other/Anything Else Doobop Should Know:**_

* * *

 _ **That's all for now! Thanks for reading ^ . ^!**_


	3. Backbone

**Osma Isles: Year 211, 2nd of First Month, Rainy Covert(9F Mystery Dungeon)**

 **6F**

"So, miss Jilvyre," Ellevhis asked the strange swablu in the early hours of the dawn as Harmon snored away on the other side of the camp they had set up "whom, exactly, are you tracking down?"

"Oh~" Arzira hummed delightfully "Just a high-ranking official of a secret society. And please, call me Arzira. No need to be formal when we're sharing a camp in a mystery dungeon, princess~."

"Hrm." Ellevhis folded her arms as she sat against a small stump sticking out of the marsh that had previously been meticulously cleaned to avoid any unwarranted filth messing her down up. "I feel a leader of a mercenary band should keep a formal demeanor."

"Aw~" Arzira teased "I bet all the nobles will want to hire your _distinguished_ Iron-Rank pair of young adults~."

"Tease if you must, but you are tracking a criminal by yourself while you are the same age!" Ellevhis huffed defiantly as she stood up and began to walk over to Harmon's side of the camp to wake him. "You also still haven't answered my question. Whom, _exactly_ , are you tracking down?"

"I don't know their name, only their rank and their codename." Arzira finally became serious. "All you need to know is that they are a Backbone of a secret society plotting to take over the free world, codenamed 'Goldenring'. I honestly shouldn't even tell you that much. I'd ask you don't share it with muscles when you wake him. I'm only telling you since if the pokemon under Goldenring's command are trying to kidnap you, this likely won't be the last time we see each other, my pretty piplup~."

Ellevhis wasn't quite sure who this swablu thought she was, but regardless, had had enough of her teasing nicknames. "I have a name, you know. It's Ell-"

"Oh, I already _know_ your name, Ellevhis Rivelin~" Arzira smirked as Harmon finally began to stir from his sleep. "Pretty easy guess just by looking, _definitely_ easy guess after I've talked with you. It's your friend's name I haven't the foggiest on."

"H-huh? What's going on?" Harmon stretched before standing up.

"Introduce yourself, to our guest." Ellevhis commanded.

"Harmon Sternosk. Team Rainsong registered Partner." Harmon gave a bow. "Is this how the upper-class does it?" He asked crankily. Ellevhis rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry if he's _rude_." She apologized to Arzira. "He's looking for his missing family."

"Oh, think nothing of it~" Arzira chimed. "As long as he can fight and protect me, I'll give you two fair pay for such a short notice escort. Though I _do_ hope he brightens up from his morning grumps soon."

"Yeah, yeah, make fun of the pokemon with no social power, let's just get moving already."

* * *

 **7F**

As Ellevhis, Harmon, and now Arzira made their way to the next floor, they noticed in each of the floors main rooms was all manner of workshops for creating weapons, armor, tools, and other miscellaneous goods. "Any good weapons?" Ellevhis asked Harmon as he looked over one rack in particular.

"Nothing but Scratch-level daggers." He sighed. "Don't know what you were hoping for. If you want a weapon or armor you're better off in a city's smithy, but why would you want either of them when you already have moves you can use naturally?"

"It adds extra versatility to an already existing movepool, Harmon." Ellevhis shook her head in disappointment.

"True~" Arzira couldn't help but chime in "but it also takes up a held item~, and then who's going to cure an unexpected paralysis or poisoning when no one is holding a cheri or pecha berry?"  
"Well, that's what the bag is for."  
"Too bad we don't have one as Iron Rank." Harmon stated stoically as the trio continued walking "We get a bag once we get Copper. All we have right now is Ellevhis's poke purse."

"Oh, the pretty has a purse of poke?" A staryu slithered out of hiding. "Three, eh? Tell you what, you hand that money over, me and my boys let you pass. You don't, and we get rough."

"You in what army?" Ellevhis wasn't buying the bluff.

"This one." The staryu's red gem shone brilliant light as two more staryu as well as two poochyena arrived on the scene. "What do you say, blue bird?"

"Is he talking to you or me?" Arzira whispered in Ellevhis's ear as the piplup once again rolled her eyes.

"Harmon, Arzira, are you ready to fight?"

"Heh." Harmon cracked his knuckles. "After that night's sleep, I'm feeling better than ever. Let's do this!"

"Sorry muscles, ladies first~" Arzira giggled as she rushed the closest staryu to her with a Fury Attack, chopping of an arm of the pokemon with each peck until her fifth and final peck broke the bandit's jewel, effectively killing the attacker.

Harmon, for his part, rushed at one of the poochyena, jumping up in the air and pinning the poor soul under a Flying Press, leaving him incapacitated on the marshy ground.

Ellevhis, determining Harmon could handle the other poochyena, and Arzira could handle one of the remaining staryu, charged at the staryu that had started the whole exchange. "I don't know who you think you are, but in the name of King Endillion, your kind will not be tolerated on Osma soil!" Her Drill Peck burrowed through his jewel in a similar fashion to Arzira's Fury Attack earlier, and he too fell to the ground, deceased.

The remaining staryu, left with no clear alternative, fired a Swift at the unsuspecting remaining poochyena and lay himself down in front of the group.

"S-see?" He pleaded. "I killed that bandit who came to hurt you guys! Spare me! Spare me please!"

"Do you agree to come back to Rivelina and spend your time in the dungeon where you belong?" Ellevhis asked.

"Yes, yes of course!" The staryu agreed right away. "Anything, anything, just let me _live_!"

"Well~" Arzira hummed as she went over to the staryu. "I think he's telling the truth, what about you guys~?"

"Hrm." Ellevhis's eyes narrowed. "While he doesn't seem to regret his actions, he certainly seems to value his life. I think we should-"

"Gah-!" The staryu gasped before going completely limp. A star was in his backside.

"Oh, Mirror Move is truly my _favorite_ move to use~" Arzira hummed delightfully. "Let's be on, shall we?"

"Hey, Hey!" Harmon shouted. "What the heck was that? Didn't you just say you believed him?"

"Of course~" Arzira replied. "Doesn't change how I feel about him. He works for the group I'm fighting. As evil as they come those guys."

"Regardless, _I_ am the leader of this mission. You should not act without first consulting me!"

"No, princess, I believe it is _you_ who should not act without first consulting _me_! Are have you forgotten that I am the patron of a mission you accepted? _You_ are escorting _me_ through this dungeon, not the other way around. You might lead your team, but you don't lead _me_." Arzira's eyes narrowed. "Now...behind this pile of corpses…" She pointed with her wing "Is a full 140 poke in a coin pouch just sitting there in the ground, and beyond _that_ is the staircase to the next floor. We're reaching the end of this dungeon. That will be our final floor before we reach where my target should be staying. I'm heading up. Come along if you want your pay, and mind the clear greed trap set by these amateur bandits. No wonder they've been wiped out."

Ellevhis and Harmon gave each other looks.

"I don't trust that bird." Harmon made his feelings known once they were sure she had gone up to the next floor. "This whole mission has honestly just had bad news written all over it."

"I understand your skepticism Harmon, but for now she is correct. She's our patron, and we should listen to her while she has authority over us." Ellevhis clearly didn't like the plan she suggested, but she knew what was right in her heart, and disobeying a client was not the right thing to do. "Anyways, think you can get that money?" Ellevhis wondered. "It would go a long way towards helping us as a mercenary band."

"I'm concerned about it, to be honest." Harmon peered into the murky marsh water.

"Yep. That's one big waterclaw plant. I don't feel like being eaten alive today."

"Could you just jump it?"

"Um…" Harmon scratched the back of his head. "Do you really want the money that badly that you'll risk me being eaten alive for it?"

"If the plant closes on you, I can just Drill Peck you free, can't I?" Ellevhis considered.

"I suppose." Harmon did the same. "But it'd still hurt like hell for me."

"We won't make a profit if we don't take risks, Harmon." Ellevhis decided. "Retrieve the money."

Harmon clicked his tongue with a small curse that Ellevhis couldn't hear and leapt towards the pouch of poke. As he grabbed the bag, his foot slipped, and the waterclaw plant pulled him down and closed itself on him.

"Dammit!" Ellevhis had been hoping this not to be the case, but rushed towards the muddy, gross plant with a Drill Peck ready to free her partner. Thankfully, she did enough damage to the plant to allow Harmon's quick escape, preventing any damage from the plant's digestive juices.  
"Got 140 poke now." Harmon said as he poured the contents of the bag into Ellevhis's own poke purse. "Let's catch up to our patron."

* * *

 **8F**

"Took you two long enough~" Arzira smiled as she greeted Ellevhis and Harmon when they arrived in the main room of the floor. A wingull and a pichu lay on the ground, both dead.

"I didn't do this one. These guys were killed long before I got here. If I had to hazard a guess, I bet my target did it themselves."

 _Goldenring_ , Ellevhis thought to herself. She glanced briefly at Harmon, before remembering Arzira's request to not tell him anything about it, and instead decided to look around the floor.

It seemed to be a guardroom of sorts, for the purposes of defense of the mystery dungeon as a lair.

"Hm~" Arzira mused as all three of them reconvened. "It seems the staircase to the ninth and final floor of this mystery dungeon is behind this mess of reeds here. Ellevhis, why don't you look through them first, since you _are_ the leader of your little team?"

"Hey." Harmon put a hand on Ellevhis's shoulder as she stepped forward.

"What?"

He looked strangely sad, and Ellevhis didn't know why. "I just want you to know that I'm with you, no matter what awaits us up those stairs."

"Uhm-...okay…" Ellevhis gave a nervous laugh before doing as Arzira had suggested.

That's when it happened.

That moment.

The very _instant_ that Ellevhis looked past the reeds at the staircase, a large sinkhole opened up underneath her.

She tried to flutter out of the way but her small wings could not take her far enough, and she fell.

She fell all the way back to the first floor of the dungeon.

"Ellevhis!" Harmon called.

"Stop." Arzira ordered. "It's better this way. We'll face my target ahead together. She doesn't need to experience such an ordeal. Besides, the marsh is soft. She might get roughed up a bit, but she'll be just fine and will catch up eventually."

* * *

 **9F**

Ellevhis, now determined to get out of the dungeon that had muddied her down so much so that she could finally clean herself off in a proper bath, had worked tooth and nail to claw her way back up to the top of the mystery dungeon.

She arrived in what looked like a banquet room, for important celebrations.

"Harmon! Arzira!" She shouted as she rushed passed the long makeshift stone tables to where both her partner and her patron lay on the ground.

"E-Ellevhis…" Harmon rose a hand up. "Y-you need...to run…"

"Absolutely not!" She refused as she attempted to help both Harmon and Arzira to their feet.

"Ellevhis?" A familiar voice sent a chill down Ellevhis's spine. "Is that really you?"

She turned back towards the stairs to see none other than Sinalori, marked by her clear scar around her…"

Ellevhis's eyes widened with horror.

"Golden...ring…"

"Oh thank goodness." Sinalori sighed, before the starmie maidservant, the starmie that Ellevhis had considered a second mother, took up a fighting stance against her. "It appears that little swablu bitch has filled you in for me."

* * *

 _ **AN: Interested? Want to submit and OC? Here's the form! (Also on profile)**_

 _ **OC Name (First and Last):**_

 _ **OC Species, Sex(Genderless pokemon such as voltorb should pick one as well), Age(Not Level, they don't exist in this world):**_

 _ **OC Special Ability(Blaze, Torrent, Overgrow, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Desired Role(Teammate, Different Mercenary Band, Minor Villain, Shopkeep, etc.):**_

 _ **Move 1(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 2(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 3(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 4(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 5(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **Move 6(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **OC Profession(What their training entails. For instance, Ellevhis is a noble)**_

 _ **OC Personality(Include the following: 1 or 2 personality traits, 1 ideal, 1 bond to the outside world, and 1 character flaw):**_

 _ **OC Alignment(Lawful Good, Neutral Evil, Chaotic Neutral, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Backstory(A small paragraph should suffice):**_

 _ **Other/Anything Else Doobop Should Know:**_

* * *

 _ **That's all for now! Thanks for reading ^ . ^!**_


	4. Battle In The Banquet Hall

_Ellevhis, now determined to get out of the dungeon that had muddied her down so much so that she could finally clean herself off in a proper bath, had worked tooth and nail to claw her way back up to the top of the mystery dungeon._

 _She arrived in what looked like a banquet room, for important celebrations._

" _Harmon! Arzira!" She shouted as she rushed passed the long makeshift stone tables to where both her partner and her patron lay on the ground._

" _E-Ellevhis…" Harmon rose a hand up. "Y-you need...to run…"_

" _Absolutely not!" She refused as she attempted to help both Harmon and Arzira to their feet._

" _Ellevhis?" A familiar voice sent a chill down Ellevhis's spine. "Is that really you?"_

 _She turned back towards the stairs to see none other than Sinalori, marked by her clear scar around her…"_

 _Ellevhis's eyes widened with horror._

" _Golden...ring…"_

" _Oh thank goodness." Sinalori sighed, before the starmie maidservant, the starmie that Ellevhis had considered a second mother, took up a fighting stance against her. "It appears that little swablu bitch has filled you in for me."_

* * *

 **Osma Isles: Year 211, 2nd of First Month, Rainy Covert(9F Mystery Dungeon)**

 **9F**

"Yes…" Sinalori took the time to explain to a deeply shocked and betrayed Ellevhis. "I sent out a false mission in order to lure you here, my dear. I knew you'd one day convince your parents to let you join a mercenary band. I made sure to regale you with plenty of tales growing up to peak your curiosity, and when I left the castle as more of my subordinates began to make the trek over to Osma, I gave the ever easy excuse that I was expecting more children, and continued our goals in secret. Finally, it's led to this day. You're here in mystery dungeon, with me, and your allies are both on the ground, unable to fight. You're going to come with me back to my hideout, where we're going to brainwash you, or, if you prove too strong willed, kill you and replace you with a different piplup, trained to mimic your speech and behavior precisely."  
"You're not going to get away with this. Even if you _do_ kidnap me, father will-"

"Oh, that's the best part!" Sinalori exclaimed as her jewel lit up. "I already know how to fool both of your parents. I was able to enter the castle once as a maidservant, and there's nothing to stop me from doing it again. I'll make up a story how some unsightly hawlucha kidnapped you and that swablu over there, and how I tried so hard to rescue you, but wasn't sure if you made it out of the dungeon. A very simple yet ingenious plan if I do say so myself. Then, once you're out of the way, we can move forward with Operation Cranium."  
"W-...why?" Ellevhis asked through welling tears as she adopted a fighting stance as well. "Why do all this? Why go through all this trouble?"

"Surely you, realize, Ellevhis." Sinalori responded. "This whole assignment was given to me. It's my responsibility, and I intend to fulfill it. It's for the best if you just let this happen."

"What do you plan to do to them?" Ellevhis asked as she nodded her head towards Harmon and Arzira. "I'm not going anywhere if they aren't guaranteed safety."  
"Then that _is_ unfortunate." Sinalori sighed. "This is going to hurt me more than it'll kill you!"

The starmie began to approach Ellevhis, and the piplup princess knew she had no choice but to fight.

She answered in kind, tears blurring her vision slightly as she rushed in with a Drill Peck that Sinalori easily parried.

"Who do you think trained you, child?" She boasted as she let out a flurry of Swift stars, each one smacking Ellevhis backwards.

"I'm not about to let you take my partner pokemon or my patron away from me while they're in my care!" Ellevhis responded defiantly, charging in with a Drill Peck once again, this time managing to get a scratch in on her former confidant.

"Heh, looks like you've gotten worse at combat without my tutelage." Sinalori taunted as she fired off another Swift, though Ellevhis was able to keep the damage she received from the thrown stars minimal.

The piplup didn't let up in her Drill Peck fencing, she wanted to get Sinalori as far away from Harmon and Arzira as possible. She noticed an arrogant flaw in Sinalori's stance and exploited it, shoving the Drill Peck directly into Sinalori's red jewel in the center of her body.

"Gahhh! You little brat!" The starmie shouted angrily.

"I didn't want to have to do this but you've left me with no choice!"

Sinalori let loose a Thunderbolt from her body, aiming it directly at Ellevhis, who knew she couldn't jump out of the way, and instead ducked under the beam of electricity, safe from the dangers that the move imposed.

Ellevhis wondered what she'd gotten herself into as she, without anything else effective to do, tried an uppercut with another Drill Peck, which Sinalori saw coming all too easily and avoided without problem.

"You really think you can outlast me in a fight, child?" She asked as she Recovered most of her expended energy.

"Gngh…" Ellevhis grunted as she looked around the banquet area for anything to use at all.

Why did Harmon have to be right about the budew siblings from earlier being helpful? She was left with only her single trick!

In desperation, Ellevhis lunged with her Drill Peck as though her beak was a rapier.

Sinalori, however, seemed to have gotten the rhythm of Ellevhis's movement committed to memory and dodged the blow without effort. She returned the favor by firing off yet another Swift at the princess, which Ellevhis used her ongoing Drill Peck beak to parry, keeping the damage to an absolute minimum.

"I suppose you're glad I taught you that technique, aren't you?" Sinalori boasted, still keeping Ellevhis off her game by bringing up memories of the piplup's past.

"Shut! Up!" She yelled as her Drill Peck once again collided with the starmie, who was slowly becoming more arrogant in her stances. Ellevhis wanted so badly to insult her back about it, but while she had allies who needed defending, she wasn't about to help her attacker by bringing attention to the sloppy stances.

"Freaking-" Sinalori looked at her punctured 'arm' with anger and turned back to Ellevhis with a Confuse Ray that the piplup managed to dodge gracefully.

"I might be young, but I'm still a proud protector of the Osma Isles!" Ellevhis announced. "I won't fall for the mind games of a coward!" She cloaked herself with roaring water and launched into her former mentor with a Waterfall attack, taking off Sinalori's entire top 'arms', causing the Starmie to begin flinching in a panic.

Just as she did that…

She noticed Harmon slowly getting back up on his feet.

"Harmon!" She smiled, relieved at his safety.

Harmon smiled back with a nod.

"I really need a rest when we get back to a town or city." He informed Ellevhis. "But for now, for just this one last remaining strand of energy...I can still fight!"

He leapt into action against the flinching starmie and crashed into Sinalori with an Aerial Ace, he clearly couldn't do much, given his condition, but what was important was that he was there to help, at least for the moment.

"She's going to use Recover again if we don't defeat her here!" Ellevhis realized as she readied a Drill Peck, and Harmon readied an Aerial Ace as Sinalori began to regain her composure. "And then we'll have to do this all over again! Let's make these count!"

Ellevhis rushed in one final time with a Drill Peck, managing to once again just barely scrape Sinalori's body.

It all rested on how much energy Harmon could muster.

He descended with an Aerial Ace, aiming for Sinalori's red jewel.

As his head collided with the starmie's gem, Ellevhis noticed new scar-like cracks forming along Sinalori's ring before the starmie was rocketed across the area of the dungeon.

"Harmon!" Ellevhis cheered. "That was amazing!"

"D-did we do it?" Harmon dizzly turned around before once again losing consciousness.

"Goldenring! Boss!" A chorus of voices began to chatter from behind the marsh plants near Sinalori. A bona fide militia of staryu all jumped out.

"Look princess, Boss has given us a good gig here!" One staryu piped up.

"She always looks after us!" Another one announced. "Now we're about to look after her!"

"She tried to take you guys on alone for our sakes!" A third one spoke up. "Now it's our turn to skidaddle for her own sake!"

There were so many staryu crowding around Sinalori as a few picked her up while the rest blocked Ellevhis from getting any closer.

"We'll be keeping our eye on you from now on, princess!" A final, tiny staryu announced before each and every one of them was gone.

 **Rainy Grotto**

Ellevhis waited patiently for both Harmon and Arzira to come to in a safe grotto just past the banquet area.

Arzira was the first to wake up.

"I'll be damned~" She hummed softly. "You aren't missing. Good thing too, it'd be a shame if a cutie like you were brainwashed~."

"C-cease with the flattery, warranted though it may be." Ellevhis blushed in embarrassment, trying her best to focus on the safety of her partner pokemon over her pride of having held her own against her former instructor.

"Oh~ everyone deserves some praise now and then~." The swablu hummed delightfully as she perked up and began to leave.

"That said, now I have to start my search over. Perhaps I'll see you two around again. I've left a special token behind as a parting gift for you, princess, perhaps you'll make use of it. Consider it payment for my impromptu mission. I suggest you keep the money enclosed in Goldenring's false mission envelope as well. Those funds likely belonged to the castle in the first place, and your team is still completely unknown, so you won't get any funds from passerby."

"What is this?" Ellevhis asked as she picked up a beautiful tiara, designed to look like feathers floating in the sky.

"It's just a family heirloom." Arzira smiled. "It might take up a held item since you have to wear it to use it, but I find the moves Roost and Feather Dance to both be quite helpful. It will help you use them, even if you can't normally. Now then, give muscles over there my most sincere thanks! Toodles~!"

And with that, Arzira was gone.

After a few more moments, Harmon woke up.

"I'm sorry…" He sighed as they sat around a small fire. "If only we could have taken her out before you caught back up to us."  
"You knew the entire time?" Ellevhis asked. Harmon nodded.

"I had my suspicions since the beginning, but after your speech about the budew, I knew what awaited us at the end of that dungeon."

His eyes flickered to the tiara Ellevhis had just recently put on.

"You're _really_ gung-ho about marrying some prince, huh?" He joked. "You almost look like a bona fide-"  
"Harmon, this is getting really old." Ellevhis sighed. "Tell me seriously, do you realize who I am?"

"Ellevhis." Harmon sighed in response as the two stood up and began to head back to Rivelina. "I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, you're just an upper class piplup to me. There's plenty of you." He stopped just before the two left the dungeon.

He turned around to face Ellevhis.

"I say that because a royal lineage, or lack thereof, means diddly squat in the creation of a mercenary band. I've learned precisely who you are from Arzira, I just don't care. You'll find I'm not alone in that school of thought."

* * *

 **Osma Isles: Year 211, 3rd of First Month, Capital City of Rivelina**

"Alright, let's look at what we have for our starting funds." Ellevhis opened her poke purse in a park nearby Rivelina's north city gate. "It's...oh that's so cheap!"

"What?" Harmon looked inside the purse.

"There's a whole 500 poke in here!" He shouted. "That's not cheap at all in terms of mission reward money!"

"But how can we buy, like, anything?" Ellevhis pouted.

"Ellevhis, Ellevhis" Harmon shook his head. "You expect an Iron Rank mercenary band to be able to buy any of the luxuries you might have seen Royal Rank mercenaries carrying around? No way. What we should _probably_ do right now is focus on getting our name out there for real. If we set aside about 100 poke for meals, we have a couple days to wander around the city and look for aspiring mercenaries to recruit. After that, we'll take a look at the mission bulletin in the IMH here and we'll head out on a _legitimate_ one this time. Hopefully somewhere where one of my siblings might have wandered off to."

"About that-" Ellevhis realized "I hope you mean here in Osma, because I haven't quite earned permission to leave yet."

"There are three solutions to that dilemma." Harmon advised. "Gain permission to leave Osma, raise our rank all the way to Silver so that we can take missions and not require you to be present for them, or disregard that strange rule your parent gave you and leave anyways."

"I refuse to be so low as to choose the third one." Ellevhis huffed. "I'll think about how to deal with that problem, but for now I agree with your initial suggestion."

She stood up and motioned Harmon to follow her further into the city. "It's time to find some more members!"

* * *

 _ **AN: Interested? Want to submit and OC? Here's the form! (Also on profile)**_

 _ **OC Name (First and Last):**_

 _ **OC Species, Sex(Genderless pokemon such as voltorb should pick one as well), Age(Not Level, they don't exist in this world):**_

 _ **OC Special Ability(Blaze, Torrent, Overgrow, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Desired Role(Teammate, Different Mercenary Band, Minor Villain, Shopkeep, etc.):**_

 _ **Move 1(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 2(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 3(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 4(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 5(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **Move 6(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **OC Profession(What their training entails. For instance, Ellevhis is a noble)**_

 _ **OC Personality(Include the following: 1 or 2 personality traits, 1 ideal, 1 bond to the outside world, and 1 character flaw):**_

 _ **OC Alignment(Lawful Good, Neutral Evil, Chaotic Neutral, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Backstory(A small paragraph should suffice):**_

 _ **Other/Anything Else Doobop Should Know:**_

* * *

 _ **That's all for now! Thanks for reading ^ . ^!**_


	5. Comrades!

_Located on the southern tip of a peninsula at the north end of the northernmost island in The Osma Isles, the capital city of Rivelina is home to a wide variety of pokemon, led by King Endillion and Queen Enys Rivelin. The city itself floats among artificial islands sitting atop marble ruins of what used to be the city back in ancient times, and often incorporates marble pillars in most of its structure. Aquatic pokemon in particular enjoy free reign to either swim in the gigantic Wailmer Bay or to make use of Rivelina's aqueduct highways to and from the city's various buildings of interest. The main attractions of the city are as follows: The Mosque Of Many, and the Three Realms Temple reside across the city from each other, and are the main religious destinations of pokemon in the nation. The Mosque of Many houses shrines to Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, Manaphy and all other pixie pokemon of similar natures. Meanwhile, the Three Realms Temple contains shrines to Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza. Halfway in between these two conclaves, in the center of the city, rests The Osma Markets, an outdoor circle of traders peddler their wares from all corners of Ebonor. Towards the north of the city, Kyogre's Maelstrom is a gargantuan battle arena where gladiators pit their skills against savage pokemon and each other for fame, fortune, and entertainment. Such fights always attract a large, adoring crowd. Finally, not terribly far from the Maelstrom rests the opulent and imperial Castle Osma, where Endillion, Enys, and their Royal Mercenaries and servants reside. With a steadily growing economy, Rivelina seems to be headed towards a comfortable future under King Endillion, but Lady Luck is fickle, and Father Time marches ever onwards. Rivelina's fate is still malleable._

* * *

 **Osma Isles, Year 211, 4th of First Month, Capital City of Rivelina**

 **Rainsong Funds: 600 Poke**

 **IMH**

"So…" Ellevhis looked around the IMH where the azumarill was still at the counter, content to let his days fly by. "Anyone come by looking to become a mercenary lately?"  
"You did, just the other day." The azumarill responded. "But you'd be surprised how few solo pokemon head to Osma looking for a mercenary band to join."

"We should check the major areas of the city then." Ellevhis decided as she turned to Harmon. "Can I trust you not to get lost?"  
"I'm glad you asked, because I most certainly _would_ get lost if we split up. Not only am I from Evokas, I'm from a teeny tiny village in Evokas. No way do I know what I'm doing in the capital city of a foreign nation."

Ellevhis couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Well then, it looks like you get a tour of the capital courtesy of the princess!"

"Now that you bring that up, perhaps Castle Osma would be a good place to start…" Harmon thought aloud. "I'm sure there's no shortage of knights or squires there. They're usually pretty keen on becoming mercenaries in order to go out and see more of the world than just their city's immediate surroundings."

"Fine…" Ellevhis crossed her arms. "But we're just stopping by the barracks then. I'm _not_ going to head home to Father and Mother so soon after striking out on my own."

"Perhaps your tiara might be a bit noticeable then." Harmon joked as Ellevhis put her hands up to her tiara to cover it from view, her face flushing. "Or are you that concerned with your appearance that you feel the tiara is necessary?"

"S-shut up! Don't mock your team leader!" She retorted. She'd honestly only been wearing it because it was a gift for her specifically, but now that Harmon brought it up, she certainly did think the crown was a cute fit for her head, and she _did_ want the common pokemon of Osma to be aware that _she_ , Ellevhis Rivelin, was the leader of Rainsong, when the band finally did start to become popular. "Now follow me to the barracks."

* * *

 **Castle Osma Barracks**

"Ottillia? Ottillia, are you in here?" Ellevhis asked as she led harmon into the barracks, where a couple of seismitoad soldiers were enjoying some food, and rest.

An octillery slithered up through one of the castle's private aqueducts into the room.

"Ellie!" She announced as she gestured with her front tentacles. "Milord has been absolutely beside himself with worry since you left. Shall I go tell him that you've returned safely?"  
"No! No, don't-" Ellevhis stopped herself. "We're just here to see if there are any knights or squires present that wouldn't mind joining up with us before we look for our next mission. We don't plan to stay any longer than that."  
"We?" Ottillia looked over and noticed Harmon, still in the doorway.

"Boy these are the guard barracks, not Ellie's private quarters! Quit being so nervous and join us inside!" She turned back to Ellevhis. "Ellie, you make your guest feel at least a little welcome, I'll go check to see if there's anyone fitting your request."  
"I'd prefer you keep _me_ requesting it anonymous!" Ellevhis called after Ottillia. The octillery did, after all, have a habit of being quite loud, and Queen Enys Rivelin had impeccable hearing.

"So...who...who was that?" Harmon asked nervously as Ellevhis almost had to force him further into the barracks.

"That was Ottillia." Ellevhis smiled. "She's the current Captain of The Guard here in Rivelina. Has been for most of my life. She's a nice lady, and very good at her job as a protector, but she is quite loud as you've seen, and can be prone to-"

"So!" Ottillia returned with the shadow of another pokemon behind her. "Is this the crown prince of Evokas? You look an interesting couple, for certain. I-"  
"Otillia!" Ellevhis exclaimed. "This is-"

"Harmon Sternosk." Harmon introduced himself. "You must have the wrong idea. I'm just Team Rainsong's registered Partner."  
"Ah, good, good." Ottillia nodded. "Thank you, then, for looking after Her Grace. I understand she can be a bit of a handful."

"Prone to making hasty assumptions." Ellevhis finally finished her previous sentence to Harmon.

"Now then!" Ottillia turned to let the pokemon behind her through the door.

He was a wartortle, close to Ellevhis in age by the look of his skin, perhaps he was even younger.

He walked up directly to Harmon.

"My name is Brugg Galthenia. I'm a squire to the knight Sir Sagremor. However, recently he's been kept here in Rivelin, so I haven't had much chance to travel my country and help out my fellow common pokemon. I hope my low birth isn't a problem."

"Definitely not with me!" Harmon laughed. "Not sure about miss prissy pants though."  
"I let _you_ be my partner didn't I?" Ellevhis returned Harmon's taunt back to him as she stepped up to Brugg.

"It would be a pleasure to have you, Brugg. I should mention that we are only of the Iron Rank, so is there an item you'd prefer to hold until we reach Copper and get our Item bag? We can purchase one for you at the market."

"I... um…" Brugg, staring at Ellevhis, broke into a cold sweat. "I.. uh, whoosh, swish, you know?" He gestured with his arms.

"Uhm…" Ellevhis cocked her head, trying to figure out what was going on while Brugg turned back to Harmon.

"I...Is she really the leader of this team?"

"That's not a problem is it?" Harmon asked back.

"Well, not really it's just…"

"Hey, you can say whatever you need to say to me!" Ellevhis huffed.

"Well...I mean, dropping...It's my problem...but...I...um…didn't know…"

"Ohhhh!" Ottillia put a tentacle to her forehead. "Right, right, I suppose you two wouldn't understand since you don't work with him. Brugg here has trouble talking to the fairer sex."  
"Did it dawn on you that, as _I_ am a leader of the fairer sex, that there might be a problem here?"

"Oh come off it! I command him just fine!" Ottillia laughed. "Besides, don't you want to help the common pokemon to 'earn your place on the throne' as you put it that dinner? I can think of no better way to start than by helping your first new teammate out with his little phobia."

"Ellevhis, we're Iron Rank, with no legitimate missions to our name." Harmon whispered. "We have to settle for who we can get. Besides, I like this guy's style and attitude."

"Welcome to Team Rainsong, Brugg!" Ellevhis held out a hand, which Brugg easily shook with a smile.

"I...the pleasure...happy to help!" He managed to eventually get a coherent phrase out.

"Maybe talk to Harmon about your held item." Ellevhis laughed.

"Where to now?" Harmon asked as Brugg walked over to him and Ellevhis began to think.

"We could go get Brugg's item at the market, but I think we ought to stop by Kyogre's Maelstrom first. If there's even a single gladiator in that arena who's willing, we ought to take them with us."

* * *

 **Kyogre's Maelstrom Arena**

The cheers of the crowd echoed through the area as Ellevhis, Harmon, and Brugg made their way into the largest arena in The Osma Isles.

"Still not as big as the one in the Evokas capital." Harmon snickered under his breath.

"There's one in Evokas?" Brugg's eyes widened.

Ellevhis, meanwhile, rolled hers, leaving the boys to their devices as she found one of the MCs of the arena matches.

"I thought you found the arena 'too dirty', Your Grace." The barbaracle crossed his long arms while his shorter ones gave a condescending shrug.

"I don't intend to spectate brutes dirtying themselves or each other to the cheers or jeers of an audience. It just feels so _improper_. I'm here instead for any gladiator you have that might be interested in becoming a mercenary in my new team."

"So you're actually putting one together then." The barbaracle sighed. "'Bout time someone from your family left that castle and did something. Don't know if you're aware of the southern island's poverty problem."

"Do you have anyone fitting the bill or not?" Ellevhis tapped her foot impatiently as she stared down the barbaracle.

He grumbled and left into the bloodworks of the arena.

He came back after a few minutes. "Is education an issue?"

"As long as it's not a savage pokemon, I don't care. I came here for a pokemon with muscular, not mental, prowess."

"Then we've got a match." The barbaracle laughed. "He's heading up the aqueduct now."

"Shrizul Algash! Da famed fighta!" A sharpedo announced as water swirled around him.

"Na, I see yo' wanna 'mon that can fight! I'm dat mon dere! It don't matta ya' a wee hoppip o' ya' Hoopa from da heavens! I take da' fight seriously! Da mons dat dont, dey da mons I crush first! You form da' mercenary band? I help tah join! I fight to get da monies, be da rich pokemon, leave da poverty line! And you got da muscles of Shrizul! Algash'll gash your foes, gadda believe me, itta truth!"

"You've got to be kidding me." Ellevhis mumbled under her breath. "Another pokemon I'm going to have trouble even understanding. Still though…"

"Well, I'm interested, Shrizul." The piplup smiled. "How strong are you, exactly?"

"If I got da stone, I become da fastest, da strongest, bigger dan da normal sharpedo. But I needs da monies for one!"

Ellevhis hoped to the gods that what this sharpedo was claiming was that if he could get his hands on a sharpedonite, he could mega evolve, which would be a huge plus to this team if he joined it.

"In that case, welcome aboard Team Rainsong!" Ellevhis congratulated Shrizul. "Now I'll introduce you to the other boys and we'll be on our way."

Shrizul leapt into the more free Wailmer Bay to move about with Ellevhis easily, and followed her to where Brugg and Harmon were waiting outside the arena.

"We're up to four now." Ellevhis smiled as she gestured to Shrizul.

"I fight wit' da muscles!" Shrizul introduced himself happily.

"We should head to the market then." Harmon decided. "Brugg needs a sword after all."

"So that's what 'whoosh' and 'swish' meant earlier." Ellevhis smiled as she nodded in agreement. "Alright, the market is this way."

* * *

 **The Osma Markets**

"Hm…" The pangoro smith looked over Brugg. "You said he's a sword pokemon?"

"Well, more specifically a _longsword_ pokemon." Brugg answered.

"I can't get you anything now, but I'm currently in the middle of making three that will be ready for you in a handful of days. A down payment of 300 poke and you get first pick when they're ready."

"Wha' kinna' scam he runnin'!?" Shrizul growled from the bay water. "Try swimmin' down 'ere an' see wha'appens!"

"It's so he can rest easy knowing no one will buy any of the swords before hand." The pangoro sighed. "Look, I know I'm not a water type, but Osma is my home just like any other pokemon in this market."

"Osma isn't-" Harmon was about to explain his nationality when Ellevhis shook her head, motioning for him to not make things any worse than they already were.

"Here." Ellevhis forked over 300 poke. "But know that if you cheat us, we truly will show no mercy."

"Dassright!" Shrizul snapped from the water. "You mess widdem, I mess wityu!"

"And there's no way we could afford a sharpedonite right now, even if one _was_ for sale." Ellevhis realized. "So let's go back to the IMH and find a mission so that we can finally get some renown going-"

"Excuse me!" A riolu stood before the four of them. "If my intuition was correct, you're a new mercenary band? I'm going to join you."

"That's a little abrupt."

"So was my instruction to become a mercenary after I delivered raw materials from Goldenvalley to that pangoro there." The riolu's eyes narrowed. "Surely there's no problem with me joining though."

"I need a name first." Ellevhis replied.

"Lauaki Tadoshima." The riolu introduced himself. "I'm quite new to Osma, so I feel joining a band clearly led by some form of nobility judging by your tiara, is a good way to get to know the lay of the land."

"Tadoshima…" Harmon repeated to himself. "Why does that name sound familiar?"  
"It's a pretty common last name on Moslen, the northern continent, where I was born." Lauaki shrugged.

"That's true." Harmon nodded. "I suppose it doesn't matter for now. Yeah, the more members the merrier, I guess."

" _I_ am supposed to decide that." Ellevhis corrected Harmon before agreeing with his decision immediately afterwards. "Welcome to Team Rainsong, Lauaki. I am Ellevhis, these boys are Harmon,"

"Hello." Harmon nodded.

"Brugg,"

"It's nice to meet you." Brugg gave a small bow.

"And Shrizul."  
"I'm da muscle, I fight da baddies!" Shrizul announced from the water.

"Alright then." Lauaki nodded. "Let's do our best together as a team."

As the five of them left for the IMH, Shrizul began to notice out of the corner of his eye, a pokemon following them.

* * *

 **IMH**

"NAGETINDER!" Shrizul shouted as he forcibly through a pokemon in through the IMH doors to the rest of his new teammates, revealing a dartrix who thankfully managed to catch himself before tumbling onto any of the pokemon he'd been trailing.

"Wait, wait!" He rose one of his wings.

Ellevhis recognized his tone of voice, and the gesture he used.

"Hang on...you speak with the mannerisms of a noble. What is it you want?" She wondered quizzically.

"Well actually...my curiosity was peaked when I saw you and that hawlucha there." The dartrix motioned his wing towards Harmon, who was already busy with Brugg, looking for a legitimate mission of Iron Rank, since he didn't trust Ellevhis to grab one after what happened last time.

"My name is David Magno, and while I was born a noble, I am also an acolyte of Celebi. I was meditating in The Mosque Of Many, at my deity's shrine, when I had a strange vision of a hawlucha and piplup joining forces. Then I saw you in the market giving the blacksmith a hard time."

" _He_ was giving _us_ a hard time." Ellevhis huffed. "Well, congratulations, David. You're speaking with the leader of Team Rainsong, Ellevhis Rivelin. A pleasure."

"The pleasure is mine." David bowed. "To tell you the truth, I have half a mind to join your band if you'll have me. I was originally tracking someone, but their trail seems to have gone cold."

Ellevhis's mind immediately raced to Sinalori, and how Arzira, that strange swablu, had been tracking her. David seems to be a noble, so perhaps he had a sibling kidnapped? He looked to be Ellevhis's age, so he might have been kidnapped by Whiteskull once as well…

As Ellevhis almost absentmindedly accepted David into Rainsong's ranks, Harmon and Brugg returned with a mission they thought would be a good one.

"I thought you were engaged to the crown prince of Evokas." Harmon teased Ellevhis as he noticed David for the first time. "I doubt he'd like you running around with a lesser noble."

"Is...is there some problem you have with nobility?" David rose a brow. "Because last I checked, a lesser noble is still of higher station than a grumpy common pokemon such as yourself."

"I don't particularly have a problem with nobility, no." Harmon shrugged. "But I do have a problem with how poorly equipped most noble pokemon are when forming a mercenary band."

"As I was just telling your leader-" David took a step towards Harmon and bowed again. "I am also an acolyte of Celebi."

"So you see visions of the future, then?" Harmon joked.

"Well, as a matter of fact, I do. It's why I became an acolyte of Celebi in the first place." David responded seriously. "I can't control them, and the last one I had was of you and Ellevhis here."

Harmon nodded, clearly not believing what David said, but also clearly feeling too impatient to start the mission to care.

"We have a good Iron Rank mission, legitimate this time. The azumarill at the counter knows the sender personally. He's sent missions in the past as well."

"What's it say?" Ellevhis asked.

"Read da mishun wahds!" Shrizul announced as he swam by in an aqueduct that circled through the building. "I'm ready ta' fight da' baddies!"

Harmon cleared his throat before reading the mission.

"Help! A Savage Escavalier Is Loose!" He read the title before continuing on to the actual description.

"As I was travelling a load of cargo up towards the capital, my caravan was set upon by ruthless bandits. My guards and I managed to fend them off, but in the chaos caused by the fight, a savage and ferociously violent escavalier that was to be sent to Kyogre's Maelstrom was freed from its holding cage. I've heard rumors that it's been sighted near Roseport Falls here in Osma, but a ball is going to be held there in honor of Roseport Wharf's 25th anniversary since its founding, and the noise is bound to rile up the already dangerously violence prone escavalier even more! I just need a group of mercenaries to either capture, calm, or kill this savage pokemon while I continue my caravan across the isles. I can promise a good pay, perhaps I'll even put in a good word for you with other merchants I know! Gerik-Greninja."

"Roseport Wharf! I know where that is, and how to get there!" Ellevhis jumped up. "I went to their balls all the time when I was younger! It'll take a few days, but if my memory serves correctly, we have plenty of time before that ball begins."

"Then we have our first legitimate mission!" Brugg announced with a smile.

"Then, we should leave first thing tomorrow morning." Lauaki cautioned. "For now, we should focus on getting to know each other some more, or perhaps exploring Rivelina on our own, or any number of things that interest us to ease us into our new roles as a proper mercenary band in the Down Time between now and then."

All six of Rainsong's members agreed it was a good idea, and went about the rest of the day on their own time.

* * *

 **Rainsong Current Members: Name, Sex and Species, Age, Funds**

 **Ellevhis Rivelin, Female Piplup, 18yo, 50 Poke**

 **Harmon Sternosk, Male Hawlucha, 19yo, 50 Poke**

 **Brugg Galthenia, Male Wartortle, 17yo, 50 Poke**

 **Shrizul Algash, Male Sharpedo, 29yo, 50 Poke**

 **Lauaki Tadoshima, Male Riolu, 21yo, 50 Poke**

 **David Magno, Male Dartrix, 18yo, 50 Poke**

 **Rainsong Total Funds: 300 Poke**

* * *

 _ **AN1: Welcome To The Team Brugg! Brugg Galthenia the Wartortle Squire was submitted by Ridin Valon, Thanks Ridin Valon!**_

* * *

 _ **AN2: Welcome To The Team Shrizul! Shrizul Algash the Sharpedo Gladiator was submitted by onyxwhip, Thanks onyxwhip!**_

* * *

 _ **AN3: Welcome To The Team Lauaki! Lauaki Tadoshima the Riolu was submitted by NinjaShikazu, Thanks NinjaShikazu!**_

* * *

 _ **AN4: Welcome To The Team David! David Magno the Dartrix Noble/Acolyte was submitted by CassandraTruth, Thanks CassandraTruth!**_

* * *

 _ **AN5: IMPORTANT: In The Ebonor Edda, There will be no supports like in The Last Legend, but there will be "Down Time" events that will happen during and in between missions. During that time OCs may do as they please and spend time with whomever they wish. Powerful Friendships or romance between any two characters rests on the desires of their creators (just a quick FYI, all Doobop OCs including the main two are fair game for anyone, but I mean, it'd have to make sense. Harmon or Ellevhis or Arzira isn't about to just up and be your best buddy or go out with you, gotta work for that stuff), and does not offer any substantial benefits (They do offer some, because they're fun, but nothing life-saving like the supports in TLL). Instead of TAG (or team attack) moves, there are special alterations of moves that OCs can get by rising in Reputation with various Factions around the world.**_

 _ **These Factions Are The Eighteen Nations, Faiths Of The Various Legendaries, Nobility, Commoners, Scholars, Merchants, The Criminal Underworld, and The IMHs around Ebonor**_

* * *

 _ **AN6: Now that that is out of the way, It's Time For Our First "Down Time" Submissions!**_

 _ **Ridin Valon, onywhip, NinjaShikazu, CassandraTruth, PM me whatever you want your OC to do in their Down Time for the rest of the day before they go to sleep in the IMH! It can be any sort of thing, from working a small job to spending time with a teammate or NPC, to going shopping (You each have 50 poke to spend), to gathering or spreading rumors, just keep whatever you decide to do within reason.**_

* * *

 _ **AN7: Interested? Want to submit and OC? Here's the form! (Also on profile)**_

 _ **OC Name (First and Last):**_

 _ **OC Species, Sex(Genderless pokemon such as voltorb should pick one as well), Age(Not Level, they don't exist in this world):**_

 _ **OC Special Ability(Blaze, Torrent, Overgrow, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Desired Role(Teammate, Different Mercenary Band, Minor Villain, Shopkeep, etc.):**_

 _ **Move 1(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 2(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 3(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 4(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 5(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **Move 6(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **OC Profession(What their training entails. For instance, Ellevhis is a noble)**_

 _ **OC Personality(Include the following: 1 or 2 personality traits, 1 ideal, 1 bond to the outside world, and 1 character flaw):**_

 _ **OC Alignment(Lawful Good, Neutral Evil, Chaotic Neutral, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Backstory(A small paragraph should suffice):**_

 _ **Other/Anything Else Doobop Should Know:**_

* * *

 _ **That's all for now! Thanks for reading ^ . ^!**_


	6. The Roseport Ravager, Part 1 (Downtime)

**Osma Isles, Year 211, 4th of First Month, Capital City of Rivelina**

 **Rainsong Current Funds: 300 Poke**

 **IMH**

"Well, talk amongst yourselves for a short while, or do whatever, just meet back here at nightfall." Ellevhis said as she stepped away from the table that Rainsong was gathered at. "I've got business to take care of."

"Speaking of," David rose a wing as though he were answering a question. "There was a certain swanna I was tracking down that brought me here. You wouldn't happen to have seen one or heard any rumors recently have you?"

"That ties into the business I was to take care of quite nicely actually." Ellevhis said without answering one way or the other. "I was about to head to the barracks to talk to Ottillia about some recent criminal activity."

Harmon's brow rose. "You're not talking about what I think you're talking about are you?"

"I am." The piplup huffed defiantly. "What of it?"

"Just thinking that the king and queen would probably lock you away in your room for the next half a decade if they found out, or do you intend to lie?"

"Not lie, just…keep identities anonymous…"

"I still think it's a bad idea. Pokemon with brains will figure it out soon enough and when that time comes, who'll be there to help you?"  
"Do I not count?" David shrugged. "I like to think I've learned a good deal on my travels. Enough to get me here to Osma without much issue."

"I suppose, but you're a noble as well. Chances are you'll be in just as much danger."

David sighed. "Harmon, I think we might be getting off on the wrong foot. If you truly doubt my abilities why don't you meet me at the Celebi shrine in the Mosque of Many about two hours from now? I can prove my worth to you there through combat if need be."

"Fine." Harmon agreed after a small contemplative silence. "But only if one of the rest of us doesn't have to spring you from a castle bedroom first."  
"Harmon, you're worrying, like, _way_ too much." Ellevhis tried to ease the hawlucha's attitude. "I'm just heading to the barracks to pass some information along, and I guess now to ask about this swanna character. David, you seem invested in this so you're more than welcome to tag along. It shouldn't take long."

"Very well." David smiled with a nod. "I shall accompany you to Castle Osma."  
"Um...I'll go too!" Brugg rushed up to David.

"You too?" Ellevhis wondered.

Brugg hurriedly whispered to David who repeated what he heard.

"He wants to say goodbye to Sir Sagremor, the knight he squired. He also wants to help you when you plan out how we're going to tackle the next mission."

"Hopefully he'll learn that girls aren't so scary as well then. It'll make the talking much easier, won't it Brugg?"

"U-um...I...that is...for...well...yes." Brugg finally managed to nod in response as the trio left the IMH, leaving Harmon, Shrizul, and Lauaki to themselves.

"I'll be right back." Harmon announced to the two as he stood up and walked towards the azumarill at the counter.

"Wonder what he's doing. We just took that mission, after all." Lauaki made small talk with Shrizul, who just stared at both the riolu, and the hawlucha as he walked back to the table.

"I'm back." He sighed, clearly even moodier than he was before he'd left.

"Kwestchun fur ya." Shrizul growled lowly. "You'ze eva binna proppa skrap?"

"I don't…" Lauaki scratched his head. "Could you repeat that?"  
"A rukk, ya' grot! I'ze'nt gunna krump wiff namby-pambies dat kan't do no bashin'!"

"It...somehow got worse…"

"OI!"

"I think...and correct me if I'm wrong, but I _think_ Shrizul is trying to ask you if you have any proper fighting experience."  
"Oh...well, of course I do, but-"  
"Dun' lookit." Shrizul shook his head. "In da arena. We'ze gunna prakktiz bash! E'en da uvvers!"

* * *

 **Castle Osma Barracks**

"Oh dear, a swanna, you say?" Ottillia sighed as she shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't have any information on a criminal swanna. I'll let the guards know to be on the lookout, of course, but I am sorry that I can't help you further, dear." She patted David's head before turning to Ellevhis.

"Ellie, what brings you back so soon? Surely you aren't looking to take another member for your team!"

"No, Ottillia, nothing like that. I'm here wondering about the status of any of father's or mother's Royal Mercenary Bands."

"Funny you should mention, the Serpent Sisters got home while you were out!" Ottillia beamed. "Oh, Enys is beside herself with joy that they made it back all in one piece."

"What's going on?" David questioned Ellevhis who turned to explain to him.

"The Serpent Sisters are a milotic and a gorebyss who are basically mother's strongest mercenaries, so she often sends them on perilous missions she or father doesn't trust putting in the public eye. Recently though, they've been helping out the southern island with its poverty problem. They spent about two years there helping the locals for no cost, and set up a few charities. The northern island is recovering from the War of the Drained Sea far more quickly than the southern island, as you're no doubt aware. It's where the most damage was done, and reconstruction of homes is not cheap."

"I've heard of such a war, yes." David nodded. "A good thing it never reached Nishiki, though I suppose a nation as big as my own has its own share of problems."

"In any case, Ottillia, can you let Minya, the leader of the Serpent Sisters, know that I have a special mission for them?"

"A request from the princess for a change? I suppose, since you are the princess, you do have the authority to ask them for missions. What is the nature of it?"

"The starmie handmaid that worked this castle, Sinalori. I require a full investigation into her background, the places she's been, where she's lived when it wasn't here, et cetera."

"Why not just ask your mother or father for this information yourself?"

"Because I simply can't trust the information is accurate. This mission, the Serpent Sisters should report their findings to only me and nobody else."

"I can certainly set up a meeting between you and Minya…" Ottillia seemed hesitant. "But Ellie, you must allow this old lady some concern for you. Do you not trust your own family?"

"That's not it, Ottillia, but I _really_ can't explain myself in a public setting where mother or father might overhear you shout. I'm doing this for my sake as well as the sake of my parents."

"Very well then." Ottillia sighed. "But I'm only doing this once, understand? It's my bum on the line if this puts any of you in trouble!"

"I'm done saying goodbye to Sir Sagremor." Brugg announced as he returned from the inner barracks and reunited with Ellevhis and David.

"If you'd like, I can send Minya ahead so that you may conduct your meeting in Roseport." Ottillia suggested, which Ellevhis happily agreed to.

With no other pressing business at the castle, the three pokemon headed outside only to be quickly called to Kyogre's Maelstrom by Shrizul swimming by in an aqueduct.

* * *

 **Kyogre's Maelstrom**

After a rather hard to understand introduction to the arena, Shrizul decided to pit the Rainsong team members against each other in a sparring matches so that he could see their form.

"Come on ya grotz, git ya bettah get stukk in!" He announced as Lauaki and Harmon, and Brugg and David sparred with each other so that he could look them over, though he was clearly paying more attention to the latter pair of pokemon, while Ellevhis watched over the former's match.

Lauaki began his sparring match against Harmon with a Quick Attack, rushing towards the hawlucha, only to be easily blocked by the bird's forearm.

Lauaki had seen the move before, Detect. He didn't let up, however, and rushed in with another Quick Attack. After all, Detect only worked so much when used in succession.

Harmon, however, was lucky that day, as his Detect activated for the second time in a row and he was able to easily dodge the attack Lauaki put forward.

Lauaki quickly faked out Harmon and rushed towards the hawlucha's chest with one last Quick Attack, knocking his opponent backwards for the first time in the match.

"First strike." He nodded to himself, as Harmon closed in for a retaliating strike.

He jumped up in the air, and immediately, Lauaki understood what was going through his opponent's mind. This was a Flying Press, something only hawluchas were capable of naturally. He braced himself for the contact as he clenched his paw into a fist, readying a Counter attack in case he could survive this onslaught. Harmon's chest collided with the riolu's body, sending clouds of dust up from the arena ground.

As Ellevhis cleared the fog away, Harmon had emerged the clear victor of the match.

"He's got a familiar fighting style…" Harmon said, gripping where the Quick Attack had hit his chest. "And certainly packs a punch if that's his Quick Attack."

"Dat dere maybe tru" Shrizul announced "But boffe you'ze still too zoggin' runty! You'ze betta fink ov taktiks when you'ze in a proppa rukk!"

He quickly turned his head towards a winded Brugg and David "Same tuh you namby pambies too!"

"Excuse me…" The barbaracle from earlier tapped Ellevhis on the shoulder. "Your Grace, the arena's public use hours are closing up, and actual combatants are scheduled to fight soon, if you and your posse could please head elsewhere…"

"Ah, of course." Ellevhis silently thanked the legends above that she had managed to avoid fighting in such a filthy and dirty arena, something that would surely have ruined her down feathers yet again.

* * *

 **Osma Markets**

As Shrizul retired to the arena bloodworks for further training, and Ellevhis to the IMH to make sure the group would have a table to sit around when they returned, Brugg decided he'd take the time to show Lauaki and David around Rivelina.

"Our capital city is the crown jewel of all the Osma Isles!" He exclaimed with pride. "The aqueducts take most water types wherever we need to go with quick ease. You know your way to the arena and IMH by now, but down this street to the east, here, you can get to the Three Realms Temple, in case you ever feel the need to pray to those gods."

"So, I suppose the other way would lead one to the Mosque of Many, correct?" David wondered. "I really ought to pray to Celebi while I have access to her shrines."

"You'd actually want to head south first." Brugg explained as he pointed towards the road heading south. "Then you'll get to a small fork, go right, westward, and you'll get to the Mosque. Going straight west from here puts you in a residential area that's almost as maze-like as a mystery dungeon itself."

"You sure are talkative when it's not to a girl." Lauaki noticed.

"I-I can't help that about myself!" Brugg got a tad embarrassed. "Most of the knights and their squires are male, save for High Commander Ottillia and a few others. Aside from them, I've never really, well, learned how to talk to them."  
"Just...speak the same way." Lauaki couldn't see the reason for Brugg's predicament.

"Ah, don't worry, my friend." David pat Brugg's shoulder. "You'll have plenty of time to practice your conversation skills with the fairer sex as you go on missions with us."

"Speaking of, while we're here, perhaps we should buy some berries?" Brugg suggested. "I know we just spend a good amount of poke on a sword for me, but in the interim, we shouldn't be empty handed."

"A solid idea." Lauaki agreed. "Although, it appears the partner pokemon beat us to it."

The trio looked to see Harmon at a berry stand, manned by a dustox.

"And...um... _this_ bunch was grown down in Nythe." She quietly held out a basket full of oran berries as Lauaki, David, and Brugg walked forward. "Oh…" She looked up nervously. "H-hello! Dusty's Delicacies open for b-business!"

"Hey, she sounds like you, Brugg!" David laughed.

"Ah, the three of you also thought about buying some berries for our trip. Remember though, we have no bag."

"I wasn't considering buying actually, I was more curious as to how to get around town." Lauaki noted. "Now that I know, I'll head back."

"Brugg and I are a different story." David mentioned after Lauaki was seen off towards the IMH. "Oran berries would be all too helpful for a fledgeling team like ours."

"In that case, you're in luck." Harmon took out 30 Poke. "I was about to buy one myself, but I might as well buy one for each of you as well."

"You don't have to use your own money, man." Brugg smiled. "We can pay for our own berries."

"No, no, I insist." Harmon said as he handed Dusty the money. "It will make the team's money easier to track if I'm the only pokemon spending. Any fraud or theft isn't about to get past me."

"Harmon, you seem to have a bit of a trust problem. Is everything alright?" David cocked his head.

Harmon looked at David. "You said the shrine to Celebi earlier, yes? I'll head there now."

He tossed the dartrix an oran berry, handed Brugg another, and kept the third one to himself. "Don't waste these before the mission." He announced.

"Well, I suppose I better head to the shrine of Celebi." David turned to Brugg. "You want to come along? Her cloisters are often quiet and tranquil."

"I think I'll head back to the IMH." Brugg decided. "Ellevhis is probably ready to go over the mission plan, and I want to help her. Hopefully the more time I spend with her, the easier it'll be to talk to her."

"Eh…" David shifted a wing. "I suppose so, but from what I've experienced, I'm surprised Harmon isn't giving her the same hazing treatment he's giving me. She very much has a noble's personality, which the common pokemon can find a tad hard to comprehend."

"I don't know about all that, I just want to help my leader with her task." Brugg laughed. "I'll see you at the IMH."

* * *

 **The Mosque of Many**

"You got turned around in the residential district, didn't you?" David grinned as Harmon slowly approached the dartrix, kneeling before a statue of Celebi herself in an area of the mosque covered wall to wall in various botanical pieces.

"Can we even spar here?" Harmon rose a suspicious brow.  
"Of course, as long as we stay silent." David nodded as he held out a wing. "Perhaps when I've sufficiently beaten you, you'll give up your strange attitude towards me, but either way, it's good to have some practice. Can't get too complacent with sitting around and doing nothing, after all."

"Perhaps you'll beat me." Harmon cracked a sincere smile. "But I think it might be embarrassing when you lose right in front of your patron deity's shrine."

"I understand." David nodded. "You won't believe my abilities until you see them in person."

"Pretty much, yeah." Harmon agreed. "So, come at me."

David flapped his wings and quickly flew low towards Harmon, who clearly wasn't expecting the flight as he set up a Detect to negate whatever damage he would have otherwise taken.

That was not the move he expected as an opening, and he quickly jumped out of the way when David returned with the same Brave Bird attack.

As Harmon descended, he shifted his body into Aerial Ace position and slashed at the dartrix's wing, though David managed to deflect most of the blow's damage by bravely sticking his beak in between Harmon's talons.

"We have to trust each other, face to face, if we're going to be on the same team, Harmon." He chided as he summoned an Ominous Wind from behind him, pushing the hawlucha backwards, across the room.

"Ghh.." Harmon grunted as he zoomed back in for another Aerial Ace, managing to use a bit more force, though David still managed to easily parry the attack's main blows.

"Hmph." David grinned as he summoned another Ominous Wind, this time pushing Harmon all the way back to the opposite wall, among the plants.

"For all your bravado, my mixed experience seems to have gotten the best of you."

"Don't gloat before the battle's over." Harmon laughed as he leapt from the wall and fell towards David with a Flying Press, crushing the dartrix exactly where the noble had least expected it, his upper wings.

Harmon stood above David. "Do you see now?" He asked.

David grinned. "I see opportunity. Didn't you just say not to gloat before the battle's over?"

David quickly rushed up towards Harmon with a Brave Bird, that the hawlucha was only just barely able to roll out of the way to avoid.

"I suppose you're better than I gave you credit for." Harmon shrugged. "Still, time to end this." He rushed David with one last Aerial Ace, or at least, that was his plan.

The dartrix easily once again parried the majority of the damage of his attack, but this time, instead of his own offensive, he uttered a small prayer to Celebi, and his feathers began to regenerate. The heavy wounds Harmon's expertly timed and placed Flying Press had done began to heal as though they had never been there to begin with.

"I'm afraid that until you fall, this sparring match will not be over." David smiled at his opponent.

Harmon once again lunged with an Aerial Ace, managing a small hit, but nothing substantial, while David flew in for another Brave Bird. "And now, the end truly is upon us!" He announced as he collided with Harmon head on with such force that the two tumbled forwards until they collided with the shrine.

From the grass around the statue, David slowly attempted to stand up. Even as he did so, his head hurt. He looked at the statue of Celebi, and soon his mind went blank, and all too quickly his thoughts were replaced by a vision.

A vision of a campsite along a rocky cliffshore, where an oricorio was sipping nectar and changing their colors at will.

Then, as quickly as he'd received that vision, his mind came back to him, and he helped a defeated Harmon up to his feet.

"Perhaps now, you can trust in my abilities?" He joked.  
"I was not expecting healing." Harmon admitted as he resisted the urge to eat his oran berry.

"I wasn't under the impression that I'd have to resort to it, so that speaks to your own skill." David nodded. "I'll ask again, do I finally have your trust?"

"Trust is something to be earned, not given." Harmon replied. "But at the very least, I trust that you are fine in combat, and you've certainly earned my respect."  
"I'm confused, if I have your respect, why not your trust?" David cocked his head. "Surely you can't be that pistanthrophobic…"

"Would that I weren't." Harmon admitted. "I'm simply...not brave enough to give away trust so freely. How can I explain? You must have family, correct?"  
David looked down. "I... _had_ family."

"My condolences." Harmon lowered his own head for a brief moment of silence before continuing. "But at least you can take comfort in knowing their status. I have no such information. Every worrisome night that passes, the likelihood I see any of them again shrinks further and further towards zero, making each worrisome night longer, and longer, until the day that zero rears its ugly head, and if that day comes-..." Harmon stopped himself.

"No, I can't think like that. No matter what, I can't think like that." He stretched and turned from David. "I'm going to do some prayer of my own before I head back. Just know, David, that my distrust of you didn't come from malicious intent, it came from a desire to protect. I'll see you back at the IMH..."

"I don't think any of the Four Swordsman god shrines are around here." David let Harmon know.

"I know." Harmon waved back. "Not praying to them. You go on ahead."

* * *

 **IMH**

David had waited by the Mosque entrance for Harmon so that he could show the hawlucha the route Brugg had kindly shown him earlier, and they arrived to see Shrizul, Brugg, Ellevhis, and Lauaki all gathered around a table.

"Oh good, you're back." Ellevhis quickly grabbed Harmon's wrist and brought him to her side.

"I was thinking about those berries you said you were going to buy and-"

While she began to talk the hawlucha's ear off, David headed up to the azumarill at the counter.

"Excuse me, I was wondering…"

"Yeah?" The azumarill asked as he began to wipe a ceramic plate with a rag.

"Are there any charity events I might be able to pledge my-"

"Southern Isle." The azumarill answered before David finished his question.

"A charity called Southern Isle?"

"No." The azumarill shook his head. "Any charity base on this isle's a scam. Or a kickstarter for a business. Actual charities you gotta go to the southern isle for."

"I see." David sighed. "Thank you."

"It seems as though whenever anyone goes up to that azumarill, they come back disappointed." Lauaki noted as David returned.

"Yeah, I suppose he's not too helpful, all things considered." David agreed.

"So here's our route, team!" Ellevhis called everyone to pay attention to her as she pointed along a map. "We'll head east from the city and take a passage through the underwater volcano, Mt. Hereweald, to arrive in this place here, called Tecumbel Village. After which, we'll continue along the Tecumbel Fjords until we touch down in Roseport Wharf. There, Gerik, the greninja sender of the mission, will be there waiting for us and can fill us in with more detail. This voyage might take a few days since we're going on foot and fin. We leave tomorrow morning. Any objections?"

"None that I can think of." David shook his head

"As long as I getz me krumpin' in." Shrizul grinned.

"It's fine." Lauaki shrugged.

"I-, it's...the help…-thank…" Brugg stumbled over his words, but it seemed clear that he thought the travel plan was fine.

"Looks like everyone's in agreement." Harmon looked back up to Ellevhis.  
"In that case, you're all dismissed for the night. Let us all get some sleep. We leave at sunrise."

* * *

 **Rainsong Current Members:**

 **Ellevhis Rivelin, Female Piplup, 18yo(50 poke)(Holding: Arzira's Tiara)**

 **Harmon Sternosk, Male Hawlucha, 19yo(20 poke)(Holding: Oran Berry)**

 **Brugg Galthenia, Male Wartortle, 17yo(50 poke)(Holding: Oran Berry)**

 **Shrizul Algash, Male Sharpedo, 29yo(50 poke)**

 **Lauaki Tadoshima, Male Riolu, 21yo(50 poke)**

 **David Magno, Male Dartrix, 18yo(50 poke)(Holding: Oran Berry)**

 **Rainsong Total Funds: 270 poke**

* * *

 _ **AN1: We're heading out to Mt. Hereweald Tunnel next chapter! If there is any position you'd like your OC to take or action you'd like your OC to do in this mystery dungeon or as they travel, now would be the time to PM me!**_

* * *

 _ **AN2: In order to avoid a party too big to keep in one or two places, I'm announcing that at any given time, only 10 ocs will be present (excluding Ellevhis and Harmon) on Team Rainsong. That's a 12 mon team in total. Further, each author will only have one oc at a time on the team.**_

* * *

 _ **AN3: With all that said, however: Interested? Want to submit an OC? Here's the form! (Also on profile)**_

 _ **OC Name (First and Last):**_

 _ **OC Species, Sex(Genderless pokemon such as voltorb should pick one as well), Age(Not Level, they don't exist in this world):**_

 _ **OC Special Ability(Blaze, Torrent, Overgrow, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Desired Role(Teammate, Different Mercenary Band, Minor Villain, Shopkeep, etc.):**_

 _ **Move 1(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 2(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 3(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 4(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 5(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **Move 6(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **OC Profession(What their training entails. For instance, Ellevhis is a noble)**_

 _ **OC Personality(Include the following: 1 or 2 personality traits, 1 ideal, 1 bond to the outside world, and 1 character flaw):**_

 _ **OC Alignment(Lawful Good, Neutral Evil, Chaotic Neutral, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Backstory(A small paragraph should suffice):**_

 _ **Other/Anything Else Doobop Should Know:**_

* * *

 _ **That's all for now! Thanks for reading ^ . ^!**_


	7. The Roseport Ravager, Part 2 (Guess Who)

_And so, on the 5th of First Month, Year 211, Ellevhis and the new Team Rainsong set out on their first official mission. Gerik, a greninja merchant, has requested a mercenary band meet him in Roseport Wharf to discuss the problem of a savage Escavlier on the loose nearby so that it might be contained once again before a ball at Roseport Falls puts the attendees' lives in jeopardy. Ellevhis, having attended such balls from a young age, knows the quickest way to Roseport Wharf by heart, and has led her team to the entrance to Mt. Hereweald Tunnel, a passageway through an air pocket cavern inside the underwater volcano of the same name. Unfortunately, since the War of the Drained Sea, the tunnel has been left unguarded in favor of more strategic locations around the Osma Isles, and has been overrun with savage pokemon and bandits hoping to loot any treasures that may have been left behind._

* * *

 **Osma Isles, Year 211, 5th of First Month, Mt. Hereweald Tunnel (B8F Mystery Dungeon) Entrance**

 **Rainsong Current Funds: 270 Poke**

"Changes colors at will?" Ellevhis cocked her head in confusion as David finished explaining his vision at the mosque to everyone while they reached the entrance Ellevhis usually took through Mt. Hereweald. " _I've_ certainly never heard of an oricorio that could do that."

"Think maybe he was just changing because the the nectar?" Brugg asked David with a shrug.

"No, it was clear to me that he was simply changing at will. Sometimes with the nectar, but he clearly didn't need to sip it to change."

"An' wut makez ya so sure 'e's a 'e?" Shrizul questioned. "Our boss ain't a 'e!"

"Admittedly, I don't know the sex of the oricorio for sure" David responded, "but my question remains the same, do any of you know anything?"

Harmon silently shook his head and shrugged. "I've been travelling for quite awhile, but I've never even _heard_ of anything as bizarre as that. But you said you had it after bumping into the Celebi shrine, right? I'm more concerned of whether the vision means this oricorio is an ally or foe."

"Me too." David agreed. "Which is one of the reasons why I'm asking."

"An oricorio with supernatural powers sounds like bad news to me." Lauaki finally spoke, though he said it very calmly. "Given our current party make-up, it's best to avoid a pokemon who could kill each of us with Revelation Dance alone."

"So none of us know anything, I suppose that in itself is good to know, kind of." David decided.

"If we're done talking about an oricorio that I personally believe may not even exist, I do have assignments for each of you as we head in there." Ellevhis stood in front of the entrance.

"Shrizul, you're on security detail. You have access to the water, which gives you more mobility than say, Harmon or Lauaki. That's why you'll swim, keeping your vision on our upcoming areas, and signal us if you notice any traps lying in wait. Bandits sometimes like to make temporary hideouts here and then never take their traps with them when they leave."

She turned to Harmon and Lauaki. "You two might not have the same amount of mobility as Shrizul, but you're both still fairly fast. You'll take the very front lines of our ground force."

"Sounds like a plan." Harmon nodded, though Lauaki had a very different reaction.

"I'll do what I think is best at the moment." He responded. "If that means falling back for someone else, I will."

"Well, yes, I'd hope you not do anything to get yourself killed." Ellevhis agreed "Though I don't quite care for that stubborn tone of yours. David, you'll be behind them in corridors, but in rooms, when you can, I want you to join them on the front lines. As Lauaki mentioned though, fall back if things start getting too dicey."

"As you wish." David bowed over a wing.

Finally, Ellevhis turned to Brugg. "Brugg, you and I will stick behind David, and will support with ranged attacks if we can. You have Water Pulse, and I have both Brine and Feather Dance thanks to this tiara. That said, when those in front fall back, we need to switch to melee and protection mode to keep them safe. Just nod if you understand."

Brugg nodded as he blushed heavily.

"Try to think of her as Ottillia." Harmon put a hand on Brugg's shoulder.

"I'll try, but she looks nothing like her."

"What we juz sittin' roun' 'ere fur?" Shrizul started to get impatient. "WAAAGH!" He yelled as he rushed into the dungeon.

"No time for questions, go!" Ellevhis ordered as she noticed Shrizul swimming ahead.

* * *

 **Mt. Hereweald Tunnel**

 **B1F**

"It's so hot in here…" Lauaki wiped some sweat from his brow.

"I know, the temperature really ruins my down…" Ellevhis complained. "Thankfully, we'll reach Tecumbel Village not far once we're on the other side, and we can clean up at the pond there."

"It _is_ an underwater volcano." Harmon reminded everyone. "It wasn't going to be the same spring breeze we got on the surface."

"Oi!" Shrizul called back. "'Old up, gits!"

The rest of the party stopped as Shrizul gestured towards the cracks in the dungeon floor ahead. "Ya ain't gunna fall, but ya gunna get klobbered wif steam!"

"Ew!" Ellevhis hugged herself defensively. "The temperature is bad enough, but I will _not_ become all gross and sweaty without even _fighting_ first."

"There's a sleep seed just across that area though." David noted.

"Whyy…" Harmon mumbled under his breath as he could almost feel Ellevhis look over at him with a sixth sense.

"Harmon, think you can grab it?"

"I think not." Harmon held up an oran berry. "If you _really_ want the sleep seed, it'll have to be someone who doesn't have an item that goes to get it."

"I'm in da waddur!" Shrizul announced. "Kant!"

"Lauaki-" Ellevhis began.

"No." Lauaki refused. "Other than making one sweaty, steam erupting from the ground would be doing so at a dangerous speed. Not worth a Sleep Seed in my opinion."

"What kind of speed are we talking about?" David wondered. "I might-"

"About the speed and power of a professional Heat Wave." Lauaki responded.

"Nope, nope, _hard_ nope." David backed away a little bit. "Yeah, let's not risk that."

As they continued through the floor, their decision to not risk grabbing the item turned out to be a good call as columns of steam did erupt from beneath the cracks, shrouding the whole floor in a thick mist.

"An now iz 'ard tah see!" Shrizul announced as he swam through the water.

"Just head towards the stairs down." Ellevhis announced.

"We seem to have gotten lucky on this floor, there aren't any savage pokemon or bandits to deal with."

* * *

 **B2F**

"Lukk ad all dis wattah!" Shrizul exclaimed as he swam into the pool of water that had taken over what Ellevhis and David both unmistakably recognized as a throne room. The original contents of the floor were damp and damaged by the prolonged exposure to the water eroding them away.

"You guys might like the water, but it makes it rather hard for me to move around." Harmon grumbled.

"It certainly does hamper the movement of those who aren't natural swimmers." Lauaki agreed.

David eagerly nodded, backing both of them up.

As he did so, however, Lauaki noticed shadows in the water.

"Shrizul!" He called out

"I seez 'em ya grot!" Shrizul shouted back as a large tentacruel emerged towards the surface, and six crabrawlers jumped out of the depths and into the shallows.

"Brugg, into the water with me!" Ellevhis announced as she jumped into the water to aid Shrizul against the clearly stronger enemy.

Brugg nodded and followed orders.

"I guess that leaves the three of us to deal with the minions." Lauaki cracked his neck as he, Harmon, and David all prepared to fight the crabrawlers.

"They have us outnumbered, two to one." Harmon warned.

"I know." David smirked. "The poor fools."

Shrizul was the very first to act, his training as a gladiator paying off in his immediate rush into a Crunch attack on the large tentacruel before him, even going so far as to tear off one of the attacking pokemon's many tentacles, which seemed to wriggle away as if it had a mind of its own.

Meanwhile, one of the six crabrawlers scuttled up to David and lunged at him with a Dizzy Punch, managing to connect with the dartrix's chest, though he was able to keep himself oriented by focusing on the crabrawler in front of him, and retaliated with a Leaf Blade against his attacker, though the crabrawler was able to scuttle out of the way of the swing just in time.

Meanwhile, the tentacruel noticed the trio of mercenaries in the water and let out a large Sludge Wave to hit the lot of them, managing to graze Brugg with the sludge, and drench Ellevhis with it. Shrizul, however, was able to zoom right through the attack as though it never happened to begin with, dispersing the excess sludge, allowing both Ellevhis and Brugg to see their foe.

Harmon rushed up the the crabrawler nearest him, and lunged at it with an Aerial Ace, only for the crabrawler to parry his movement with its large claw.

Ellevhis, angered that the tentacruel's first attack had ruined her down to such an extent, zoomed in at the beast with a charged Drill Peck, managing to get a good hit in on the pokemon's squishy black flesh.

On the surface, Lauaki ran to help David as he force-palmed the crabrawler giving the dartrix such trouble, though once again, even though the two were flanking the crabrawler, it scuttled away from the attack.

Brugg, noting his environment, shot a Water Pulse at the tentacruel, landing a direct hit on the beast, though it still seemed conscious of its own actions.

Then, the rest of the crabrawlers acted. One rushed up to david with another Dizzy Punch attack, once again hitting the dartrix in the chest. Two charged at Harmon with Crabhammer attacks at the ready, and while Harmon could avoid the first one, the second one hit him square in his backside, forcing him to cough an exhalation. The final two crabrawlers rushed to Lauaki, each with a Power-Up Punch, though the Riolu managed to deflect both of them.

Shrizul rushed up to the tentacruel for another Crunch, but the beast maneuvered out of the gladiator's way, avoiding losing yet another limb.

The fast crabrawler kept the heat on David with a Pursuit, only just barely managing to graze the noble's feathers, but managing nonetheless.

David, for his part, took a breath as Synthesis did what little work it could without direct access to sunlight.

The tentacruel, deciding Shrizul posed its greatest threat, sent out a Poison Jab with one of its tentacles, managing to bash the gladiator, though he thankfully was not poisoned.

Harmon leapt onto the closer of his crabrawler foes with a Flying Press, absolutely bodying the sorry pokemon as he stood up from the dead crabrawler's squished corpse.

Ellevhis once again rushed into the tentacruel with her Drill Peck, continuing to do damage to the creature.

Lauaki, still flanking David's crabrawler nemesis, lunged in with another Force Palm, this time connecting with the scuttling creature, and cutting off its avenues of escape.

Brugg, noticing the tentacruel was paying more attention to Shrizul, began to lower his head in preparation of a Skull Bash.

The second crabrawler on David lunged in with a Pursuit of its own, easily beating on the already winded noble. The crabrawler still on Harmon attempted a Dizzy Punch, and sent the hawlucha flying backwards, disorienting Harmon severely. Finally the crabrawlers fighting Lauaki lurched towards him with Crabhammers, but the riolu easily sidestepped and parried both attacks.

Shrizul rushed in towards the tentacruel with yet another Crunch, but by now the beast had realized how it could avoid such powerful jaws and kept its distance.

The fast crabrawler turned its attention to Lauaki, the riolu that managed to hit it, and swung a Power-Up Punch, which Lauaki easily deflected.

David, seeing his chance, lunged at the crabrawler with a Leaf Blade, separating its head from its body.

"That's enough of that one's tauros dung."

The tentacruel let out another Sludge Wave into the water, this time, however, Ellevhis was shielded by its own body, and Shrizul continued to avoid the sludge by not slowing down in the water. The only pokemon hit was Brugg, and he largely shrugged it off as he did the earlier Sludge Wave.

Harmon, confused, teetered around aimlessly before hitting himself with his own Aerial Ace giving himself a gigantic gash across the chest.

Ellevhis, reasoning that Brugg and Shrizul seemed to have the tentacruel covered, decided to shit over to the battle on land to see how it was going. She surfaced just in time to see David and Lauaki surrounded by four crabrawlers and Harmon slashing himself across the chest.

"What in Manaphy's name-?!" She gasped.

She rushed towards David. "Switch!" She announced as she moved passed him while pushing him back and taking his space before activating a Bide.

Lauaki nodded at Ellevhis's strategy at put up his Counter.

Brugg, back in the water, rocketed forwards into the tentacruel, shoving it a full ten feet backwards with him as he rammed its flesh.

The remaining four crabrawlers, split their forces, two to beat on Ellevhis with Power-Up Punch, and two to hit Lauaki with Crabhammer.

While one of the Power-Up Punch attacks missed Ellevhis, the other one hit her square in the stomach with far more force than Ellevhis was expecting.

The Crabhammer attacks faired similarly as one missed Lauaki while the other hit its mark, but Lauaki very quickly retaliated the same damage back to the crabrawler, and it fell to the ground, having not been able to take the same amount of damage it gave out.

Shrizul rushed up the tentacruel with yet another Crunch attack, this time managing to psych the monster out and sink his teeth into its blue carapace.

David, now safely out of the range of the three crabrawlers, sent an Ominous Wind the way of the one nearest him, though it seemed as though the attack couldn't quite reach its target.

The tentacruel was getting quite tired of Shrizul and as a last ditch effort to rid the waters of the sharpedo, it fired off a Dazzling Gleam.

Shrizul's eyes widened with fear as the fairy type move closed in on him, but relaxed with relief when nothing happened.

"Yer' notsah' bad' ya' grot!" He semi-praised Brugg for the strategically placed Protect, keeping them both in fighting condition as the briefly surfaced so Brugg could get some air to breathe.

"I do have combat training thanks to Sir Segremor, after all." Brugg replied with a confident grin.

Back on land, the still confused Harmon lunged towards David with a High Jump Kick, which he thankfully missed, but found himself colliding with the ground and going unconscious.

Ellevhis continued her Bide and Lauaki continued his Counter.

The three remaining crabrawlers attacked, two on Ellevhis with Power-Up Punch, and one on Lauaki with Crabhammer.

Ellevhis found herself beat on quite heavily by the Power-Up Punch attacks thrown her way, she was clearly only on a sliver of health before she joined Harmon unconscious.

Lauaki, meanwhile, clicked his tongue in disappointment as the crabrawler he was fighting continued to miss its attacks.

Shrizul continued his strategy of circling around the tentacruel so that he and Brugg were flanking it and chomped down with another Crunch, managing to tear off another few limbs as the pokemon began to bleed heavily.

David went to guard Harmon's unconscious body and shot another Ominous Wind at the same crabrawler as before, this time managing to hit the pokemon and fell it.

"Thanks, David!" Ellevhis called as she unleashed her Bide on the crabrawler in front of her, just...obliterating it from existence.

"Right, time to end this then" Lauaki decided as he switched from Counter to Force Palm and lurched towards the single remaining crabrawler, managing to do just enough damage to kill the final land enemy.

Harmon's body began to wriggle in distress.

"Uh-oh." David looked down at it, unsure of how they could heal him.

Brugg, noticing that the tentacruel was nearing the end of its rope, let out a Brine attack, and as Shrizul was gearing up for his own final attack, he noticed the tentacruel implode on itself from the Brine's water pressure.

He gave Brugg a crazed grin, and Brugg returned a more bashful one.

As Brugg returned to the surface, he noticed the unconscious Harmon.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Dizzy Punch got him good." David responded. "If only we had any sort of reviver seed…"

"We don't though." Lauaki sighed, disappointed.

"David, think you can at least stabilize him so he doesn't die?" Ellevhis asked.

"I'll see what I can do." David nodded as he leaned over Harmon.

"Come on buddy…" He talked as he worked on Harmon's wounds. "You can't find your family if you spend your life dying on us…"

Harmon's body let out a cough as his heart rate began to stabilize.

"Oh, Celebi's Blessings!" David sighed with relief as he gave Harmon's unconscious body a quick hug before standing up.

"Well, we don't have a reviver seed, which means we probably won't be able to revive him, but he'll be fine as long as we protect him."

"There's a well known campsite just the next floor down in the dungeon." Ellevhis replied. "We can spend the night there and he should be good to go come morning."

* * *

 **B3F**

"It looks like this place used to be an armory…" Brugg correctly identified as the conscious party entered the are Ellevhis was talking about.

"It did use to be an armory." Ellevhis nodded "But that was a long time ago. Now it's usually used as a campsite. My poke's on it most recently belonging to the crabrawlers we just fought, so we should have enough bedrolls for everyone to get a good rest."  
"Oh…" A voice sighed as an oricorio, ever changing between different styles, approached the same campsite, tossing and catching a pouch of nectar in his right wing. "That's a shame, to be so excluded. I've had my own share of troubles in this dungeon you know, and I'm going in the opposite direction as the lot of you!"

"So it appears your vision was real, after all, David." Ellevhis turned to David briefly before addressing the oricorio. "I'm sorry, but as you can see, we very much need to use this place to rest as well. Surely you can push on through to the end of the dungeon. We did just take care of quite the gang of savage bandits."

"Well I would, but it just so happens that I have no energy left in me for my moves, and I'm expecting to meet someone here at this campsite within the next 24 hours."  
"Then it seems we're at an impasse, stranger." Ellevhis announced.

"Well, not necessarily." The oricorio held his wings up. "You are, after all, quite the beautiful piplup. I wouldn't mind sharing my bed with you in exchange for free use of the campsite."  
"I-" Ellevhis blushed at the bold words said to her. "I am betrothed to the crown prince of Evokas!"  
"All the more reason to live you own life while you can then, right?"

"No one is sharing anyone's bed, especially when we don't even know your name." Lauaki reasoned as he stepped up towards the oricorio.

"Ah, of course, you have my apologies. My name is Oswald, and I'm a traveller. That's all you need to know. I gather that, if you are betrothed to crown prince of Evokas, you must be Ellevhis Rivelin. So the rumors are true…"

"What rumors?" Ellevhis cocked her head.

"Oh no no no, I've said enough already!" Oswald hummed. "If you want information out of me, well, I've already told you how to get it."

"It's hard enough for me to settle for sleeping in a bedroll to begin with." Ellevhis shook her head. "I'm not about to _share_ it with someone else."  
"I mean...I don't think you have much of a choice here, beautiful." Oswald chuckled.

"I-..."

"Hey wait a minute…" David realized. "Shrizul...you're aquatic, right?"

Shrizul didn't even dignify such an obvious question with a response.

"Then you don't need a bedroll on land, so there's enough for everyone here…"

"Dude!" Oswald gave an exasperated sigh. "I was so close to actually convincing her, too! Ah well, no harm no foul." He turned back to Ellevhis. "What the dartrix says is true, there's no problem here. I will have to ask though, that while we share the campsite, you follow a few ground rules. Don't stay here any longer than you guys have to. When that hawlucha your wartortle is hefting over his shoulder finally recovers, get out of here. The next rule is announce your departure. The final rule, and perhaps the most important one is this: don't mix up my nectar pouch with that poke purse of yours, princess. I know they look quite similar. Other than feel free to make yourselves comfortable. And if you change your mind, princess, my bedroll is open."

"Ellevhis this guy is about as trustworthy as the far side of a mudbray." Lauaki warned.

"I don't like this situation either, but the dungeon is too big to force Brugg to carry Harmon all that way. We have to rest here."

As everyone got settled into the camp, Oswald kept snickering to himself.

* * *

 _ **AN: Alright Brugg, Shrizul, Lauaki, David, you have a sort of mini-down time at the campsite so if there's anyone in particular you want to talk to (or talk at, in Harmon's case), now might be a good time to hash out specifics of what you want to talk about.**_

* * *

 _ **AN2: In light of Harmon's condition I want to reiterate that absolutely no one is safe from death. David was able to stabilize Harmon this time, but he might not always be so lucky.**_

* * *

 _ **AN2: OC Submission Form**_

 _ **OC Name (First and Last):**_

 _ **OC Species, Sex(Genderless pokemon such as voltorb should pick one as well), Age(Not Level, they don't exist in this world):**_

 _ **OC Special Ability(Blaze, Torrent, Overgrow, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Desired Role(Teammate, Different Mercenary Band, Minor Villain, Shopkeep, etc.):**_

 _ **Move 1(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 2(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 3(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 4(Natural Movepool):**_

 _ **Move 5(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **Move 6(Egg Move or TM Move):**_

 _ **OC Profession(What their training entails. For instance, Ellevhis is a noble)**_

 _ **OC Personality(Include the following: 1 or 2 personality traits, 1 ideal, 1 bond to the outside world, and 1 character flaw):**_

 _ **OC Alignment(Lawful Good, Neutral Evil, Chaotic Neutral, etc.):**_

 _ **OC Backstory(A small paragraph should suffice):**_

 _ **Other/Anything Else Doobop Should Know:**_

* * *

 _ **That's all for now! Thanks for reading ^ . ^!**_


End file.
